


Time doesn't heal all wounds

by WinterFlower11



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe - K/DA (League of Legends), Alternate Universe - Music, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Anal, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood As Lube, Burns, Comfort/Angst, Date Rape Drug/Roofies, Depression, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Sexual Content, Family, Forced Orgasm, Friendship, Genital Torture, Human Trafficking, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Injury Recovery, Kidnapping, Lube, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Nipple Torture, No Lube, Non-Consensual Blow Jobs, Non-Consensual Bondage, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Non-Consensual Kissing, Non-Consensual Touching, Obsession, Pedophilia, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Torture, Psychological Trauma, Rape Recovery, Rape/Non-con Elements, Recovery, Rescue, Rope Bondage, Rough Kissing, Self-Harm, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Content, Sexual Slavery, Sexual Violence, Slavery, Slice of Life, Spit As Lube, Stalking, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Teasing, Torture, Trauma, Underage Kissing, Underage Rape/Non-con
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-06
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-18 07:03:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 20
Words: 96,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21690397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterFlower11/pseuds/WinterFlower11
Summary: Obssession with someone leads to stalking. Stalking leads the obssessed to do terrible things. Even if those people don't believe they are in the wrong, their victims end up getting hurt. Their lives destroyed. And then those who were hurt will need all the help they can get. So they can heal.
Comments: 218
Kudos: 233





	1. Just an ordinary day

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys. I just kind of felt like writing this story, as I like Ekko and True Damage a lot. It's going to be a bit fucked up, but there will also be happy moments. I hope you will like it :)

"Hey! I'm heading out to get us some dinner." Akali announced, standing at the doorway to the living room. "You guys fancying anything in particular?"

Its four occupants, spread across the well lit room, were entertained with various activities and it took some time for them to give her an answer. Ekko had recently started taking guitar lessons and was using most of his free time to practice. He seemed to be a prodigy at it, just like he already was at other things and despite not having been playing it for long, he was already comfortable with the instrument. The guitar strums sounded pleasant enough to the ear and filled up the room, creating a relaxing ambience. Senna was on her phone checking her social media and occasionally laughed or shook her head in disapproval as she scrolled down. Comfortably reclined on a chaise longue, Qiyana was reading a fashion magazine that prominently showcased a full body photograph of herself in a long dress on the cover. Needless to say, that had been the incentive for her to buy it in the first place. Alienated to everything else in the room, Yasuo was sitting in front of his computer with headphones on, working on a new project that he hadn't yet shown to any of his friends. Qiyana emerged from behind the magazine and was the first to respond to Akali.

"A tuna salad would be good, honey. With cheese, olives and no sauce this time. I'm on a diet."

Ekko heard this and couldn't help himself.

"I see! So that is why you were ordering a new dress online the other night. The blue cocktail one you bought last month doesn't fit anymore!" He had been so loud that he had caught everyone's attention, including Yasuo's, even through the headphones. It hadn't even been that funny, but Senna and Akali cracked up at the comment, while the DJ tried maintaining his composure and at the same time, hold back his laughter. The vein on Qiyana's forehead became more prominent and gained a blueish tone as her face reddened profusely.

"You must think you're so funny, kid."

"Hey! You know what my mama always said? Truth is meant to be told." Ekko was wearing a cocky grin, had an eyebrow exaggeratedly raised and seemed very pleased with himself.

Qiyana gave off a killer stare in his direction and seemed ready to tell him off when Akali interrupted. First, it was almost dinner time and she was in a hurry to know what everyone wanted. Second, Ekko and Qiyana were like cat and mouse and their arguments could last a whole hour if no one stepped in between them. However, they were rarely if ever serious and the two friends had never actually gotten mad at one another for longer than a few minutes.

"Guys, please! I still have got to drive to the shopping mall and it's getting dark and it's going to be freezing outside! What do you want me to bring for you?"

Ekko lazily leaned back against the armchair, the guitar resting on his lap. "I know you got good taste, Akali. Whatever you choose, bring the same for me." He said simply, with an enigmatic smile. It was like he was teasing or trying her patience. She didn't make a big deal out of it: Ekko was just being Ekko. Akali rolled her eyes and turned to Senna.

"I'd like some chinese. I haven't had Kung Pao chicken in a while. What about you, Yasuo?"

Yasuo's music wasn't loud enough that it would completely muffle outside sounds, but he had only heard half of the conversation. He took off one headphone and turned to Akali. "Chicken sounds good". He put it back on and immediately got back to work, not wasting a single second. Akali couldn't help but admire how passionate he was about his music and how seriously he took his job. No wonder he was considered one of the best in his field: so much discipline and hard work could only pay off.

Akali turned to the other three members of the band and did a quick recap, counting with her fingers. "So, it's a tuna salad for Qiyana, with cheese, olives and no sauce, Kung Pao chicken for you and Yasuo and Ekko eats whatever I eat. Got it."

Qiyana was still somewhat annoyed and was looking at Ekko with disdain as he strummed a tune on his guitar. Hearing Akali's confident affirmation, however, she took her eyes off of him for a bit and turned to her. "That's it? You sure you don't need to jot that down?"

"Nah, I'm good. Already got it memorized." The girl said as she walked to the door. Before exiting, she stopped at the doorway and looked back towards Ekko. She smirked. "What if I decide to get myself some liver and onions? Will you still want it?"

Ekko gave her a look that was a mix between clear disbelief and slight worry. "You wouldn't." A few seconds later, his expression had already shifted to his usual innocent bright eyes and his trademark cocky grin. "I'm your best friend, you love me too much."

Akali responded with a sly smile. "Don't try me." Without uttering another word, she turned around and disappeared into the hallway.

"So, Senna? How's Lucian?" Ekko asked. He had placed the guitar down on the floor as he felt he already had enough practice for a day. The boy walked over to the sofa his friend was sitting on and let himself carelessly fall on it.

"He's actually doing pretty good. He's supposed to be free at ten, so I'm going to try to call him then."

"Is he gonna show up at tomorrow's party?"

"He said he would. That's why I want to contact him: To be sure." Ekko felt a hint of nervousness in her voice.

The boy gave her a reassuring smile. "Lucian's a true blue. He'd never let his girl down." He let out in a sincere and cheerful tone.

"Yes, he would never." Senna gave him a small smile but it faded quickly, as she sighed in exasperation. "Things have just been so hectic lately with his new job and our new album... We're so caught up in our responsibilities, we barely see each other anymore."

Ekko put his hand on her shoulder to reassure her. "Hey! Senna, it's gonna be ok. Promise! Lucian is gonna come tomorrow, I know he will! He isn't one to break his promises. And you'll finally get to spend time together. You should look forward to it!".

Senna listened to his words attentively and she couldn't help it, as her heart filled itself with hope and her face lit up. Ekko could be young and naive, but his straightforward, positive outlook on life was intoxicating. One couldn't remain hopeless or sad around him for long, as he always found a way to lift their spirits up. And for that, she was very grateful. "You're right, thank you, Ekko."

"I always am, am I right?!" He exclaimed, half serious and half joking. Senna seemed much more cheerful now and even seemed eager to call Lucian as soon as possible, without a hint of worry in her eyes. As she took out her phone, Ekko got up from the sofa. "My work here is done." He thought, feeling like a super hero of sorts.

The teen looked at Qiyana who was on the opposite end of the room, lying on the chaise longue and still reading the same magazine. She felt observed and lifted her eyes from the pages to look at Ekko, making a face that defined boredom itself. She arched an eyebrow as if asking what he wanted from her. He gave her a sympathetic look.

"You know that I meant that the blue cocktail dress still fits you perfectly and that you're just being paranoid about this whole weight thing, right?".

Qiyana wasn't yet ready to forget what he had said, even though she knew he didn't mean to say anything hurtful, and just made an undignified sound and went back to reading.

Ekko knew she only needed time to accept to talk to him once again, and then he could give her a better apology. For now he would just let her be. The boy approached Yasuo and took a look at the computer screen. "Yo! Yasuo! How's it going?" He was aware that the DJ couldn't hear him, but felt like greeting him anyway, just for the sake of it. "Got anything good yet?".  
Yasuo took notice that Ekko was standing behind him through the reflection on the screen and turned around. He stared at him for a few moments, seemingly deep in thought and then started furiously typing something. Ekko waited patiently, as he was used to Yasuo taking his time to do things and hated being interrupted. A few seconds later, a window popped up. The man took off his headphones and handed them to the teen. Ekko smiled, accepted them and put them on. Yasuo got the tune playing and the boy was engulfed by it. Music was truly something special that had the power to motivate people, make their hearts dance and change lives for the better. At least, that's how Ekko looked at it. People could call him naive, childish, a dreamer, delusional even. But no one was capable of denying the positive effect a song could have on him whenever he felt sad or disappointed on something. And he knew he wasn't alone on feeling that, as many others did. Yasuo's latest creation was very upbeat and powerful and made Ekko bob his head to the beat. Once it was over, the boy took off the headphones and gave them back to Yasuo.  
"That's some good stuff. There's some K/DA influence in there, am I right?"

Yasuo just answered by giving him a sly smile.

"I would go for a slower tempo on that last part, and the middle could be faster instead. Just a friendly suggestion."

The DJ listened attentively to his friend's comment and took some notes on a sheet of paper. Qiyana was watching everything over from the chaise longue.

"Ekko's the only one that's gonna get to listen to that before it's finished, right? As usual..."

"He knows how to give constructive criticism." Yasuo turned his chair to face Qiyana. "Unlike some people who only complain and offer nothing."

The girl rolled her eyes. "Why is everyone against me today?".

Ekko laughed. "Give her a break, man."

"You started it." Yasuo said jokingly. He adjusted his chair and went back to working on his music.

………………………………

The man exited the elevator and tiredly walked across the dimly lit hallway, searching for his keys inside his pocket. Once he arrived at his apartment, he retrieved them and opened the door. The place wasn't big or small but was a complete mess. There was a pile of unwashed dishes on the kitchen sink, an empty box of pizza lay on the couch, there was dust piling up on the furniture and different pieces of clothing were scattered everywhere. He didn't have much patience to tidy up, as he had better things to do with his time. He turned the lights on and took off his jacket, lazily hanging it on a chair right after. It had been a long work day and he felt like he was carrying boulders on top of him. His arms and legs hurt badly and it was as if his back had been broken in half. The man stretched and yawned. All he wanted right now was to take a shower, have dinner and get into bed. However, there was something he had to do before all that.

He walked up to a painting that was hanging next to his bedroom door and turned it around, revealing a key that was strapped onto its back with tape. He picked it up and approached a locked metal door. The man inserted the key into the lock, turned it and stepped into his study. The room was extremely small and the only source of light was an old flickering lamp hanging from the ceiling. It had no windows, and there were three metal shelves filled with paperwork and books, which gave it a very claustrophobic and eerie feeling. The only wall that didn't have a shelf in front of it, had instead an old wooden desk with a computer and sheets of paper scattered all over on top, leaning against it. Above that however, there was a gigantic corkboard which was filled with at least a hundred pictures and a few posters of the same exact person.

The man smiled, took a few steps forward until he found himself right in front the corkboard. He reached over to one of the pictures, removed the pin that was holding it in place and examined it from up-close for a few seconds. He approached it from his lips and gave it a tender kiss.

"Don't worry, my pretty. We'll be together soon." He whispered, as if the person on the photo could hear him. "I wonder what you taste like?..."

Ekko was the one on the picture.


	2. The Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter. It's longer than the first one. I hope you guys like it! Thank you so much for the comments you left on the first chapter. Please keep on leaving more of them and tell me what you think of this story :) You can even leave suggestions if you'd like!

"Hey peeps, I'm back!" Akali shouted upon stepping into the room.

Qiyana jumped in her seat. "Geez! I didn't even hear you arrive! When did you get in? You almost gave me a heart attack!"

Akali put the bags she was carrying on the ground.

"Oh, I'm so sorry my queen!" Akali joked. "It won't happen again".

Ekko was sitting on the window sill just looking through the glass at the night beyond. The street lights were being turned on as the sky became darker. He turned around once Akali came into the room, and laughed at Qiyana's comment.

"Qiyana's right, you know? I didn't even hear you coming in through the front door. Sometimes it feels like you're some kind of ninja assassin that sneaks up on people."

"Ah ah. Very funny." Akali said in an ironic tone.

"Wait! Ekko, is it just me or you're agreeing with Qiyana?" Senna commented. "This is the end of the world as we know it!"

"Yeah, you never agree with anything I say!" Qiyana joked. "What's gotten into you?"

Ekko just shrugged and put a hand on his chest. "What can I say? I'm a considerate, reasonable guy."

Suddenly, Senna's phone rang and she immediately picked it up. She took a quick look at the screen and her eyes lit up. "It's Lucian!" The girl looked at Ekko and gave him a big smile to which he responded with a wink and a thumbs up. "Excuse me, I'm gonna have to take this one." With that said, Senna quickly exited the room.

"So?" Akali turned to her friends. "Who's hungry?"

"I thought you were never gonna ask!" Said Qiyana. With the help of her hands she sat upright on the couch and reached over to the nearest bag. "So, where's my salad at?"

Seeing Qiyana take the initiative, Yasuo finally decided to get up from his chair and join the rest of the group.

"Well, Akali, what'd you get for us?" Ekko asked.

Akali smiled and crouched to remove a still warm container from the bag at her feet.

"Well, I know you don't like liver. So, I decided that anchovies would be the best choice."

Ekko's face became plagued with confusion. "Wait, what?"

Akali walked over to him with the container in hand, and once she was close enough, she lifted the lid up to reveal its content.

"Kidding!" She gave him a broad smile which revealed her perfectly lined up white teeth. "I got us some lasagna. I heavily considered the anchovies though!"

"Stop trolling me!" Ekko gave her a friendly nudge and laughed.

"You should have seen your face!"

"You're getting a little too much enjoyment out of this aren't you?" Ekko asked with a big smile.

"Maybe a little. You're just so easy to fool, kid!"

"Hey, who are you calling kid?" Ekko attempted to defend himself. "I'm almost seventeen!

"You'll always be the baby of the group for us!" Akali stated, jokingly. With her free hand she pat her friend's head, tousling his dark hair.

"Alright, cut it out!" Ekko exclaimed, letting out another good natured laugh. "Let's just eat".

Akali nodded and put down the container. She was gone for a few seconds and fetched two plates from the kitchen cupboard. Ekko and her made themselves comfortable on the window sill while Yasuo and Qiyana ate together on the chaise longue.

"Hey! Where's Senna at?" Qiyana asked. Their friend had been gone for a good while now. "Her food is gonna get cold".

Speaking of the devil. Senna returned to the living room a few moments later and they all noticed that she didn't look very happy.

"Senna, what's up girl?" Akali asked.

"Lucian can't come tomorrow?" Ekko's expression was apprehensive.

Senna gave them a sad smile. "Unfortunately, no. But he assured me he'll have time next weekend. It isn't exactly what I was hoping for, but it's not all bad."

"Bummer." Qiyana said. Even thought she didn't show it, she felt terrible that Senna and Lucian almost hadn't seen one another in two months.

"Ah, man! I'm sorry Senna, I know how much you were looking forward to tomorrow night." Anyone, even a stranger who didn't know him, could feel that Ekko was genuinely sad for his friend.

"It's ok, really!" Senna tried cheering herself up and broadened her smile. "I'll end up being with Lucian anyway, just a bit later than I had hoped."

"That's the spirit!" Qiyana tried giving her some support. She pat the seat beside her, signaling Senna to take a seat.

Senna joined her friends on the couch and retrieved the last container from the bag. She decided to let her worries go and allowed herself to relax and enjoy the moment in good company.

Ekko was eating in silence, lost in his own thoughts.

"What's up Ekko? Has the cat got your tongue?" Akali asked, pointing at him with her fork.

Ekko distractedly looked outside at a car that was passing by and it took him a few moments to answer.

"Nah!" He turned around to face his friend. "I was only thinking about tomorrow's party."

"You do like a good party." Said Akali, sticking her fork into a bit of lasagna. "And Ahri throws the best parties in town."

"Yeah, I know". Ekko replied, indifferently.

Akali frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no. Big parties are nice and all. You get to meet new people and stuff like that. I was just thinking that I've been liking small parties with close friends more and more now."

"Oh. I know what you mean. They're less chaotic, right?"

"Yeah. But not just that. Small parties are also more... I don't know how to put it. I guess they make me feel more comfortable?"

"Yeah i get it." Akali gave her friend a comforting smile. "But you're nervous about the party? I've never seen you turn down a party before."

"I think I'm a bit nervous about Ahri throwing the party for us specifically, to celebrate the success of our last album. And that so many people I don't know are going to be there. It kinda makes me feel like they will only come to observe us from up-close and judge us."

"I thought you didn't care what others think of you." Akali pointed out in a teasing manner.

"And I don't?... But I also kinda do? It's complicated." Ekko laughed.

"You're a complex guy." The girl joked. But what she said was the undeniable truth. To the common observer, Ekko was simply the class clown and the life of the party, always eager to entertain and be the center of attention. However, someone like Akali who had known him for almost his entire life, was perfectly aware that there was so much more to the boy than that. Ekko was full of contradictions and thoughts that didn't always make sense despite his logical inclined nature. Nevertheless, there wasn't a single side of him she didn't like.

After they were done eating, the two friends sat there in silence for some time, plates in hand, just looking outside the window. The other three members of the band were quite a bit far away from them and wouldn't be able to hear the two of them anyway because of how loud Qiyana was being.

"Hey Akali!" Ekko suddenly exclaimed, breaking the silence. "Do ya remember when we were little and there was a kid asking his mom if she could buy him a cake but she didn't have enough money?"

"When You were little-er, you mean." Akali teased, which made Ekko roll his eyes. "Yeah I do, as if it were yesterday. You actually gave him some of your own money to pay for it. You've always been such a goodie two-shoes." She might have said it jokingly, but deep down, she truly admired her friend's kindness and good-will.

"The kid looked like he didn't even have money for real food, much less to buy sweets." Ekko said, looking down at his empty plate with a stern look on his face. "I've been where he was. It's not pretty."

Akali gave him a comforting smile and gently gave him her hand. "Hey, it's ok. That's in the past now. And what matters is how happy you made that kid! He wouldn't stop thanking you!"

"Yeah you're right, I guess I really made him happy." Ekko's smile was a bit faded.

"What made you think of that, anyway?" Akali questioned, genuinely curious.

"I don't know... This? All this? The party, the band, this food we just ate, this house?" The boy made a gesture with his hand, encompassing the whole room. "I started off having nothing. And now I pretty much have everything I could want." He made a long pause and his eyes filled with sadness and compassion. "But how many others had the same luck? That kid might be better off now, but he also might not... It just doesn't seem fair."

"Ekko..." Akali started.

"The only reason I started rapping in the first place was because I wanted a way to entertain the kids of the neighbourhood back home. I always thought that music was a fun thing that could make people smile. It cheered me up at least, so I tried sharing it with everyone else. And boy, did they love it." Ekko looked directly at Akali and she could see that his eyes were shining bright like two stars in the night sky. "I just made everyone so happy... And then you came back home and asked me to join you on your new project and this whole thing started. I accepted because I saw it as an opportunity to gain some money for my parents who always worked so hard for me. I could finally help them...".

"Oh Ekko..." Akali was almost getting moved to tears by his speech. She was still holding his hand and squeezed it a little bit harder to show her support. She was aware that Ekko didn't show his more sensitive side to just anyone. She was one of the few people he trusted wholeheartedly, so she listened patiently to his words.

"But now, I just think... Why me? Why did I get this opportunity and not someone else? There are people who were way worse off than me or people who could do so much more in this situation. There are so many young rappers and other performers out there... Some probably deserved it more than I do."

"Ekko!" Akali finally found a way to break through the flurry of words. "You are more than deserving of all this. Good things came to you because you're a good person. You did all you could to help everyone around you and you were rewarded for your kind acts. Nothing else." The girl's smile grew wider the more she spoke. Ekko's eyes were still downcast, so she gently grabbed his chin and lifted his head up to look him in the eyes. "We've been friends since we were kids and you never changed. You're still the same dreamer who wants to help everyone without expecting anything in return. There aren't many people like that, Ekko. People who are truly good to the core and want nothing more than to make others happy. There isn't anyone in the world I'd rather be best friends with."

"Akali..." Ekko simply said.

"Now that you have this opportunity, you can share your passion with the world. You aren't just gonna make your friends happy, you can make so many more people happy with your lyrics and your rapping."

Ekko took in his friend's words and his doubtful expression started shifting to a more relaxed and happy one.

"You're right. Thanks Akali."

Akali patted her friend's hand and looked back at him for a few moments. Then, she got up and piled up the two dirty plates.

"Well. I went out to get us the food, so... You wash the dishes, all right?"

Ekko grabbed the pile "Sounds fair." He turned to the rest of the group who had also finished eating. "The dishes are on me tonight!"

"All right!" Qiyana exclaimed, handing him her empty plate. "What about you clean up my room while you're at it, kid?"

Ekko raised an eyebrow and accepted the plate. "Don't even think about it."

Qiyana chuckled. "Hey, worth a shot!"

The boy smiled and jokingly shook his head in disapproval.

"So, Qiyana, you got your new dress picked for tomorrow night?" Senna inquired.

Her friend gave her a cocky grin and polished her own nails on her shirt. "Nah! I decided to stick with the blue cocktail dress."

Senna was surprised. "What made you change your mind?"

Ekko was about to exit the living room with plates in hand when he heard the girl's question. He turned around to look at his friends and answered. "It fits perfectly fine. That's all."

Qiyana and him exchanged glances and Ekko winked at her before leaving for the kitchen.

.............................................

A new day dawned with grey skies and a cool breeze that signaled Winter was on its way. Each member of True Damage chose to spend it in their own way.

Yasuo, unsurprisingly to everyone, resumed working on his new track and experimented with the changes Ekko had suggested.

Qiyana spent the whole day at the spa receiving skin care, manicures and pedicures to look her best for the evening.

Senna went to the shopping mall with the intent of buying a present for Lucian. They both agreed that there was no need for a birthday party or any kind of special ocasion to offer a gift to one another. For the couple, it was but a gesture of love and appreciation, and love isn't bound by time or special dates.

Ekko and Akali both slept in. They had stayed up late just chatting and reminiscing about the past. Ekko's speech from earlier left them both thinking about all the fun they used to have, racing one another through the streets of their hometown and all the mischief they had been up to as kids. After waking up, the two friends cooked lunch together and later on, went for an afternoon walk. The streets of the city were hustling and bustling. The traffic was loud and the pavement beneath their feet was worn out by the thousands of shoes that walked on it every day. Akali and Ekko told jokes that only made sense to both of them, observed and made remarks about the people that passed by, either in a hurry or casually strolling. A light rain began to fall, but not even that stopped them from enjoying themselves.

The day was over in less than nothing and it was almost time for the party. Qiyana was the first to arrive home as she needed more time than anyone else to get ready. She put on her dress, carefully applied the makeup in front of her dresser and put on some hairspray to make sure that not even a single hair would fall out of place. Once she was ready, she exited her room and walked to the entrance hall where the rest of the group was already waiting for her.

"Will you look at that!" Exclaimed Akali with a smirk adorning her face. "Qiyana never misses a chance to show off!"

"Jealousy speaks louder than reason." Qiyana joked, putting her hand on her hip.

"Looking amazing as always, girl!" Said Senna, who also looked beautiful with the pearl earrings Lucian had offered her some time after their wedding and a shiny red dress that opened on the side.

Ekko pointed at Qiyana's perfectly groomed hair and turned to Yasuo. "Yo, I bet five dollars that she brought the hairspray in her purse for an emergency."

Yasuo looked at Qiyana from head to toe. "I bet she did not. That seems excessive, even for Qiyana."

The girl chuckled. She opened her purse and took out the spray can, revealing she had indeed brought it.

Ekko laughed and Yasuo rolled his eyes. He had lost to him yet again! The kid was really good at guessing stuff or just very observant, he couldn't tell which. Defeated, he retrieved five dollars from his pocket and handed them over to his younger friend.

"Pleasure doing business with ya!" Ekko said, collecting the money.

The five friends left the house and got into Yasuo's car. He asked everyone if they hadn't forgotten anything important, so he wouldn't have to make multiple trips and drove off with the K/DA mansion as their destination.

"Wow! It's like half the city is here." Akali exclaimed upon arriving at the front gate. She almost couldn't believe her eyes. She had been to Ahri's parties before, but this one was more than likely going to be the biggest one yet. Groups of people were approaching from all directions on foot and dozens of cars were pulling over.  
Yasuo signaled the group to leave while he went to find a spot to park the car. They did so and Akali lead the others away from the main entrance gate to a smaller side gate.

"We've got a VIP entrance, as usual!" She said, jokingly. The girl readily approached the gate, took out the keys from her purse, opened it and they all stepped inside.

.............................................

The man took a look at himself in the mirror. His back shirt and coat were impecable and ironed and his pants fit perfectly. His hair could use some work though. He picked up the comb that was nearby and used it to fix his messy hair. He put the comb down and looked into the mirror once again. Now it was perfect. He turned off the lights and walked over to the door. Before leaving, he picked up a small white bottle from a side table and put it in his pocket. After that he took out his wallet and made sure that his documents were inside. Everything was ready.

"This party is the best chance yet." The man thought to himself. "I can't let it slip by."

.............................................

Akali and the gang were approaching the front door where Ahri could be seen greeting some other guests. As soon as she saw Akali, she excitedly ran up to them.

"Akali" She exclaimed, giving her a quick hug. She then turned to the rest of the group "I'm so happy you all could come! The party wouldn't be the same without the guests of honor."

"It was really nice of you girls to throw it for the band." Said Akali.

"We're very happy to come." Said Senna.

"Of course! You guys are the sensation of the moment! We had to celebrate!" Ahri looked at each member from head to toe. Suddenly she furrowed her eyebrows. "Wait a second. Isn't someone missing? Where's Yasuo at?"

"Oops..." Akali's face turned slightly red with embarassment. "I forgot I have to open the door for him. We left him outside because he was looking for a spot to park the car..."

"But why didn't you say so?" Ahri smiled. "He can park the car in our garage! There's plenty of room."

"I thought of asking you!" Akali exclaimed. "But don't Evelynn's cars take up all the space?"

"The red one is being repaired at the moment. Only the other two are in the garage."

"Well, that's good news. I hope he hasn't found a spot yet." Akali said, picking up her phone and walking back to the gate, in case Yasuo was already waiting for her there.

"Come in, come in!" Said Ahri warmly. "I'm gonna announce to everyone that you're here!"

They followed the fox girl inside and she lead them to the gigantic living room where many guests were already comfortably reclined on the various couches and chairs. Ekko looked around at the gigantic plasma TV and the expensive furniture. He had been over to their place before, but his surroundings always baffled him: These girl's sucess was no joke. They must have made millions during the past year alone just to afford living in a place like this. The music was blasting through the speakers and Ahri turned it down for a second, so she could be heard.

"Attention everyone!" She stepped forward to the center of the room and many heads turned to look in her direction. "True Damage is in the house!"

The other guests cheered and clapped and the group waved at them.

"Don't worry!" Ahri continued. "Akali and Yasuo are about to show up as well!"

A bunch of people approached the band and started asking questions and congratulating them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ekko! I'm a BIG fan of your rapping. Your solos in "Giants" were absolute fire!" Said a tall scrawny guy wearing a beanie, extending his hand.

"The pleasure's all mine my dude!" Ekko eagerly accepted his hand shake.

"I absolutely love your dress! And those earrings, oh my!" A blonde girl said, mouth agape, to Senna. "I've been studying your fashion choices in pictures from tabloids. I'm a professional fashion designer and lemme tell you: You're an absolute queen!"

"Aw, thank you so much! You're so sweet!"

"Qiyana! I can't belive I'm actually meeting the queen herself, what an honor!" Said a boy with glasses and a black scarf holding a professional camera. "You guys killed it on your last album!"

Qiyana laughed and exclaimed with pride, modesty aside. "We certainly did, didn't we?"

"Can I please take a pic with you?" The boy requested.

"Sure, I don't see why not!" Qyiana exclaimed, moving to his side and posing for the photo.

Fifteen minutes later, Akali and Yasuo came back. Turns out Yasuo still hadn't found a spot and was relieved to know he could leave the vehicle in the mansion's garage. More people approached once the band was reunited once again. Ekko was liking this attention and making everyone laugh with his witty remarks. It was always nice meeting new fans and spending time with them.

Little by little, everyone started to disperse and went off to do their own thing. Qiyana stuck with the camera guy and they walked up to the table on the other side of the room where all the food was. The music just got crazier and louder once Yasuo took over the mixing table. A group of people started dancing and Akali and Ekko joined in. Senna sat down on a couch with a glass of wine in hand and Ahri took the seat in front of her.

"So Ahri? Where are Eve and Kai'sa? I haven't seen them yet."

"They go caught up on something. They'll show up soon."

"I see." Senna said, taking a sip.

Suddenly Ahri remembered. "What about Lucian? Wasn't he supposed to come with you?"

Senna gave her a sad smile. "Yeah, but he also got caught up on something. I'll be with him next weekend anyway, so it's no big deal."

Ahri felt bad for Senna. But in that moment, for her surprise, she saw Kai'sa entering the room... and Lucian was just behind her! He had a huge bouquet in hand. She saw as Kai'sa smiled and pointed at the couch where Senna was sitting. The girl wasn't aware of anything as all was happening behind her back. Lucian's eyes found Ahri's and he put a finger on his lips asking her not to ruin the element of surprise. He handed the flowers to Kai'sa and then started slowly walking towards them.

"Hey Senna!" Ahri said.

"Yes?"

"If Lucian were here right now, what would you tell him or ask of him?" She asked with sincerity.

"That's a strange question." Senna raised one eyebrow in confusion, but then just shrugged and smiled. "I'd ask him for a kiss, I suppose..."

"I think I can grant you that wish. Since I'm here and all." Lucian said, from right behind his wife.

She became wide-eyed and turned around in disbelief. "Lucian!"

Ahri grinned with satisfaction as Senna got up, walked around the sofa and threw herself into his arms. Lucian carefully held his wife against his chest.

"I missed you so much!"

"Me too!"

Once they parted, they looking into each other's eyes for a brief moment and then shared a loving kiss.

"I really thought you wouldn't be able to make it tonight!" Senna exclaimed.

"Well, I lied." Lucian said simply, winking at her. "I wanted it to be a surprise."

"And it was an amazing one." Senna's eyes were shining with happiness. She turned to Ahri over on the couch and smiled. "You sly fox!"

Ahri chuckled. Feeling forgotten, Kai'sa walked over to the couple, flowers in hand. As none of them noticed her approaching she exclaimed "Hey Lucian! Hello? Your bouquet?"

"Oh! I'm sorry, Kai'sa. Thank you so much for holding it for me." Kai'sa handed the flowers over, rolling her eyes but smiling. "These are for you." He said, giving them to Senna.

"Oh Lucian! They're beautiful. I love them." In a reflex, she handed the flowers back to Kai'sa and held onto Lucian to give him a deep kiss. Kai'sa made a "I'm done with the world" face and left the bouquet on the couch. Ahri, who was paying attention to her friend's reaction, laughed loudly.


	3. Spirited Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: This chapter has very creepy sexual elements to it. Read to your own discretion. I don't support any of these things that are featured in my story. I only wrote them for the sake of story telling.

The man exited the taxi and looked around before closing the door. The mansion was there, right in front of him. It had been a whole year of spying, both on this building and those living in it and on the True Damage Household. Here, he knew the location of the security cameras of the first floor, both on the inside and the outside. He had gotten the info from a friend who was a professional that had infiltrated the K/DA mansion one week earlier, passing off as a repairman. He had also leaked valuable information about the best plan possible he had envisioned, according to the layout of the house and the streets surrounding it.

He had laughed and commented about how careless those young air headed stars were, just letting a stranger wander around their house with no supervision.

"They probably thought it would be ok to leave me be thanks to the security cameras. But I know how to do things without drawing attention to myself. Not even the shadows can catch me."

It had been a whole year of digging for information on these people from all sources available to him, legal or not. He had his contacts and friendships and most of them were with extremely shady people. He knew the outside of both buildings by heart and the surrounding streets. He knew the daily routines of all the young stars... especially Ekko's.

When he thought of the boy's name, his heart skipped a beat. He wanted to know what it felt like to embrace him, to lock his lips onto his. The kid was insanely beautiful for his age, with big hazel eyes and soft dark skin and had the most amazing personality ever. The wonderful smile never left his young face. A mental image of the boy smiling at him crossed his mind. No. He couldn't wait any longer. It had to be tonight. He was going to make Ekko his and his alone, no matter the cost.

He was now in position. They could start the operation. The man picked up his phone and dialed a number. A few seconds later, the other person answered.

"Are you in position?" He asked.

"Come check for yourself."

He walked around to the side of the mansion and checked with satisfaction that the car his accomplice was calling him from was right on the spot. Unlike the main street that the mansion was facing, the other ones surrounding it were extremely quiet and there weren't that many houses nearby. The one the car found itself in had no buildings and was eerily quiet even during the day and especially at night. The K/DA girls had chosen to buy that mansion in that specific part of town for some peace and quiet.

"You know what you have to do, right?" The accomplice asked. "Don't screw it up. I'm doing this for you, after all, old friend."

"Don't worry. The kid will be in my hands tonight." He replied, with an unsettling grin adorning his face.

.............................................

Evelynn was in the hallway by herself smoking a cigarette and texting a few friends. She wanted to be close to the party, but not actually be a part of it. She wasn't the party type, unlike many people thought she was. She liked to stay on the outskirts of events, looking at what was happening from an outsider's perspective and socializing with whoever felt the same way and retreated to the same spot. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Someone was at the gate, but hadn't all the guests arrived already? She took a look at the screen and saw a man dressed in an all black suit. She didn't recognize him. Who was he and what could he possibly want?

"Who is that at the door?" Kai'sa asked when approaching Evelynn.

"No idea. You know the guy?"

Kai'sa took a look at the screen. "That's Jayce! From the police department! I invited him." With that said, she pressed the button to open the gate and watched as the man stepped inside.

Evelynn looked over her glasses in disbelief. "You invited a police officer?" She approached the cigarette to her lips and jokingly said "Do you know what cops do to parties? They break them up."

Kai'sa laughed. "Nah, this one won't, he's a cool guy..."

Kai'sa hurried to the door.

"Good evening Kai'sa." Jayce greeted her politely.

"Good evening Jayce! What a surprise!" The girl said, holding the door and signaling for him to come inside.

"I'm sorry that I came so late. I wasnt' even sure I could come in the first place."

"You're the second person who said he wouldn't show up today and ended up at our door anyway." Kai'sa commented. "What a weird night. Anyway, come on! You're a bit late but the party is still going strong!"

Jayce followed her through the hallway. After a year, he was finally getting to see the place from the inside. He could have looked around and admired everything around him. He could have told Kai'sa how nice the place was. He could have commented on the furniture and the modern decoration. But none of that came to mind. At the moment, finding Ekko was all he cared for.

The living room was right around the corner. The man almost couldn't contain his enthusiasm. All he had worked for and imagined was about to become real.

"Huh, Kai'sa?" He requested. "Could you please introduce me to the members of True Damage? I'm actually a fan of their music. And this party was thrown for them so..."

"Of course!" Kai'sa answered. Upon arriving to the living room. "Look, Qiyana's over there!" She made a gesture with her hand, asking him to follow her.

Jayce pretended like he cared as Kai'sa presented her to Qiyana, Yasuo and Senna, alongside her husband one by one. He was polite and answered to various questions, while also making up his own. Some acquaintances of his showed up to talk to him and ask him how he was and how his work was going along. Strangers circled him. They wanted to meet the hero that had cracked so many cases and put so many criminals behind bars! The hostess of the party came to greet him as well and he acted as if he was honored to meet all these people. He was getting bored and impatience prickled under his skin. He just wanted them all to go away so he could finally meet the one person who mattered. Speaking of said person, Ekko was sitting on a couch beside Akali. He eyed the newcomer with interest.

"Hey Akali, you know who that is?" The boy pointed at him with his thumb. "People seem to be going all crazy for that guy."

Akali shook her head. "Nah. This city is way too big for me to know everyone. Unlike back in our neighbourhood in Zaun." She commented, making Ekko smile with the reference to his beloved city. "But it isn't too big for Kai'sa, it seems. She was born and raised here. Almost all the guests are her friends and acquaintances, did you know that?"

"No way!" Ekko exclaimed. "That's nuts! She knows half the city!"

Akali laughed. "Yeah, she's always been quite popular and has loads of contacts. People just like being around her, I guess."

"Have you noticed that the guy is always looking in our direction?" Ekko pointed out. "Maybe he's a fan of our music and really wants to meet us. Seems like it."

"Yeah, probably."

After almost one hour, Jayce was finally free from everyone except from Kai'sa who had stuck around. He glanced at the two friends who were relaxing on the couch. To try to save himself from having to meet anyone else, he commented "Hey, you haven't introduced me to them yet! That's Akali and... Ekko." His heart started racing faster in anticipation, just from saying the boy's name.

Kai'sa looked in their direction. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry! Too many people to meet and greet. Anyway, c'mon!" And started leading him to the two True Damage rappers.

Jayce's breath quickened, his heart began racing once again and his face reddened profusely. Once he was face to face with the boy, he made a remark to make what he was feeling not seem too obvious. "Oof! It's hot in here. Pardon me." He said, while attempting to cool himself by waving his hand next to his face.

"Nah dude! It's all good." Ekko said. "That's a nice suit you got there, but it's prob what's making you sweat all over."

Akali covered her mouth with her hand to hide a giggle. It was amazing how at ease Ekko was with people that he had just met and it was funny how straightforward he could be with his comments.

The older man slowly regained his composure. And Ekko had completely put him at ease. What an extraordinary kid... "Anyway, I'm Jayce, of the Police Department." He looked at Kai'sa. "Kai'sa and I go a while back. We met at one of Caitlyn's birthday parties. She was the one who invited me. Anyway, I'm a big fan of your music. You probably think it's weird that a man like me would like music for youngsters..."

"Music is music!" Ekko said with a big smile. "It don't matter what kind you like!"

"Yes, I suppose you're right."

"Why don't you take a seat?" Akali said, pointing to the couch in front of them.

The man was caught off guard. "Oh, huh... thank you." Jayce said, accepting the suggestion. He couldn't believe he was this close to the kid. It felt unreal.

Kai'sa remained standing and addressed the group.

"I'm gonna get myself a drink. You guys want me to bring you something?"

"Nah, I'm good." Akali said, raising her hand.

"I totally dig that strawberry juice you got there. Could you bring me some?" EKko requested.

Jayce saw this opportunity and seized it. The plan he had envisioned was slightly different, but he could make this work. It was perfect.

"What about you Jayce? Want anything?" Kai'sa repeated, as the man seemed lost in thought and probably hadn't heard her ask the first time.

"Huh... What if I go get the drinks?" He said, readily getting up. "It's the least I can do to thank you for inviting me. And it's not every day that you can bring international stars their drinks." Jayce winked at EKko who smiled at him in response.

"Well... ok! If you put it that way..." Kai'sa said, letting herself drop on the seat beside his. "It's very nice of you, thank you! Could you bring me a vodka, please? With ice."

"Wait!" Exclaimed Akali. "I changed my mind. Would it be a bother if you brought me an orange juice? Please."

"Not at all! I'll be right back."

None of the three stars saw the evil glint in Jayce's eyes as he turned around.

The man approached the bartender, who was cleaning the counter. "Hey, two vodkas with ice, an orange juice and a strawberry juice, please."  
The girl looked at him for a second, stopping in her tracks, taking in the information and then reached under the counter and started preparing everything. Jayce watched as she moved super fast and got everything ready in a heartbeat. These girls really knew how to throw a party! They even hired professional bartenders. She handed him the drinks on a small tray without uttering a word.

"Thanks." He said, accepting the tray and walking over to a side table in a corner. All he had to do now was make sure no one would see what he was about to do or suspect anything. He put down the drinks and upon making sure no one was watching, quick as the wind, he put a hand in his pocket and retrieved the minuscule white bottle, pouring the entirety of its contents on Ekko's drink. As quickly as he had gotten the small bottle out, he put it back. He had studied everything carefully beforehand and that was just about the right amount, given the teen's weight and height. No one had seen absolutely anything. It wouldn't have been easy anyway, as the man had practiced this countless times and was fast as lightning.

Grinning with satisfaction, the man got back to the group.

"Sorry, did I take long?"

"Nope, you were pretty fast, actually." Said Kai'sa. She watched as Jayce put down the tray of drinks on the coffee table in front of them.

"I propose we make a toast." The man said, grabbing his glass and handing Ekko his. The boy, unaware of the man's true intentions, innocently accepted his drink with a grateful smile. Akali and Kai'sa grabbed theirs.

The man elevated his drink in the air. "To the success of True Damage!" He exclaimed.

"To your well deserved success!" Said Kai'sa. "And to ours, of course." She sassily added, bringing the glass to her lips and taking a sip.

Jayce slowly drank his vodka, carefully studying Ekko's course of action. The boy was actually quite thirsty and emptied the glass quickly. The man grinned with satisfaction. Things just couldn't be going better. Now, in a matter of fifteen to twenty minutes, the kid would more than likely start to feel drowsy for no apparent reason. Then, he would put the second part of his plan in action.

"Hey guys!" Ahri said, approaching the group. "Everyone is asking for a True Damage performance! You totally gotta do it! You can't say no!"

Akali looked at Ekko and smirked "Too tired tough guy?"

"You wish!" Ekko replied, jumping from his seat.

With Yasuo dishing out sick beats from the mixing table, Ekko and Akali dancing and rapping and Senna and Qiyana's enchanting voices, no one stayed on their seats. No one except Jayce, who was still avidly observing Ekko's every move. He looked... absolutely beautiful under the party lights, moving his body with ease to the rhythm of the song, with his golden hued eyes wide open in sheer ecstasy. A few drops of sweat escaped his head when he performed a slightly difficult move and shone in the surrounding light. It made Jayce wonder how hot Ekko's body would be. He imagined beads of sweat running down his naked torso, the teen all flushed, lying under him... His pants suddenly became tighter and he reddened profusely. In a hurry, he moved to a seat farther away from the crowd to hide the protuberance in his pants and tried to control himself. He had to be ready so everything would go according to plan.

When the band finished, cheers were heard from everywhere. The performers were all tired but happy. Well... all, except for one...

Akali, panting heavily from the dance routine she had performed alongside her best friend, turned to the side to look at him... and frowned. Ekko looked distressed and was holding his head in his hand as if he were having a headache.

"Ekko?" She inquired, worried. "Are... are you ok?"

Ekko lifted his head up and smiled at the girl. "Yeah, yeah. Don't worry, I'm fine. Just a bit tired."

Senna also noticed something was wrong with the boy. "Ekko, is something wrong?"

"No, I'm fine, Senna. Don't worry about me girls, really. I'm just gonna go sit down for a bit."

Qiyana watched as Ekko distanced himself from them. "What happened? Is the kid ok?"

"Yeah, I think so. He said he was just tired. Maybe his routine was a bit too much. It's almost 4 a.m. too." Senna commented.

"Yeah... He does like to show off at parties." Qiyana commented wittily.

Akali smirked. "He's a tough boy. He's gonna be ok." The girl took her attention away from Ekko as fans circled her and the other girls to congratulate them on their last minute performance.

Ekko let himself fall onto the couch. He was feeling a bit nauseous now as well. He carefully rubbed his temples and closed his eyes. They were feeling a bit heavy. Suddenly a shadow towered over him, obscuring the party lights.

"Ekko?" Jayce said, feigning concern "Are you not feeling well?"

"I... No, I'm just sleepy that's all." Ekko made an effort to raise his head, look the man in the eyes and smile despite the dizziness and the slight pain he was withstanding.

"You're sleepy?" The man said, smiling on the inside. "What if you go wash your face? It might help."

Ekko considered that possibility for a few seconds. "Yeah, it might help. Thanks for the suggestion man." The boy said, getting up with a bit of difficulty.

Ekko was so incredibly close... Jayce fought the urge to just grab him right away, as it would be a terrible idea. Instead, he patiently waited for the kid to leave the room before going after him. Once he found himself alone, he picked up the phone and called the accomplice who was still waiting outside.

"Hello? You got the kid?"

"Not yet. I'm close though. Get in position."

Inserting his phone back in his pocket, he thought of the information he had been given. His friend had told him the hallway right outside the bathroom and the bathroom itself had no cameras. And it seemed to be the case, as Jayce could now see for himself. His accomplice had described the men's bathroom as being big, with multiple stalls and sinks. To their right, there were several high, medium sized guillotine windows which let the sunshine in during the day. Wait... Jayce let that thought sink in for just a second: These girls actually had a separate men and women's bathroom like the public ones inside their home. What?...

No. His thoughts couldn't deviate from the mission at hand...

He would have to make sure no one was around him and the boy, inside one of the stalls. Suddenly he could already see the bathroom door. Jayce´s steps echoed across the dimly lit hallway. In that part of the house, the only light source was the moonlight that penetrated through the windows. When there was a party going on, the girls simply turned off all the other lights in the house that weren't needed to save energy and money. The man opened up the bathroom door and stepped inside.

Ekko was carefully washing his face in front of one of the mirrors. Nonchalantly, the man went to check on the stalls. They were all open. Perfect. No one around. He was free to act. Not wasting any more time, he walked up to the boy who could barely stand up anymore and was supporting himself on the sink in front of him. Suddenly, the teen lost all his strength and began to fall. Jayce caught him on time and didn't let him hit the floor.

"We don't wanna hurt that pretty face of yours now, do we?" The man said, holding the boy up with one arm and caressing his cheek with the other. Ekko's skin was so soft. He held his unconscious body against his chest for a few seconds, feeling the heat of his young body against his own. This... This was a dream come true. The boy he had been after for more than a year was now... his. All his.

He thought of kissing him. It was so tempting. The closed eyes, the dark brown hair with bits of cerulean blue at the tips, the slightly parted lips letting out soft breaths. The kid looked so angelic and innocent. It was so hard to resist the urge to plant his lips onto his... But he'd rather wait for the boy to wake up first, so they could experience it together. He wondered if the unconscious child in his arms had ever kissed someone. Or if he would be his first...

He was awakened from his thoughts when he felt his phone vibrate inside his pocket. He readily answered it.

"I'm outside. You can pass me the kid." His accomplice simply said before hanging up.

Jayce walked to the last bathroom stall. With Ekko in his arms, he climbed up to the cistern above the toilet to access the window. He opened it up and looked down for a moment to make sure his friend was there. And he was.

"Get his legs through first." The man said in a low tone.

Jayce smiled and carefully passed the boy through the open window which was just big enough for him to fit through. The other guy down below grabbed the kid by the waist and let his friend lower him slowly. Once the unconscious boy was in his arms, he swung him over his shoulder since the kid was pretty light despite his height.

"Hurry! We meet in the car." The man said, starting to run towards the spot where the vehicle was.

Jayce didn't waste time. He carefully closed the window, climbed down and quickly left the bathroom. Upon arriving to the main room, he saw that many people were under the influence of alcohol. Happy hour had started! Great. Hopefully, everyone had been too distracted and no one had seen him even leave the room in the first place. All of a sudden he bumped into Kai'sa and gave her an apologetic look.

"Sorry Kai'sa! The party was great. But I gotta go. Thanks for inviting me once again!"

"Aw, so soon? Ok. I´m happy you liked it. See you soon!"

Jayce hurried to leave the mansion. A few minutes later, under the cover of darkness, he arrived at the car without being spotted.

"No one saw anything?" His friend asked, laughing.

"Nothing. Some were too much into the party to pay attention, others were passed out drunk."

"Bunch of morons! No one´s gonna notice the kid is missing?"

"His friends from the band might. Or that bitch Kai'sa. Let's just hurry up and get out of here."

Taking his advice, the driver turned the key and put the car in motion.

He took a look at the back seat and was surprised but not at all disappointed to find out Ekko was there. He was lying on his side, facing the two men. His wrists had been tied behind his back and his legs were bound together. His friend had wrapped a dark blue cloth around his mouth that would muffle all the sounds he tried to make in case he woke up. In theory, the kid SHOULDN'T wake up for at least another five hours. But it never hurt to be careful. Besides, he liked how helpless the boy looked. He wouldn´t be able to deny any advances from him while bound like that. He´d have to submit to him. And submissive partners were just so sexy...

"You didn't put him in the trunk?" Jayce simply asked to his friend.

His accomplice smiled deviously. "You´re dying to be close to the kid, i know it. You´d die if he was here so close to you, but you couldn´t see him. I know how you work..."

"You do indeed..." Jayce reflected for a moment. "But what if the cops asks us to stop or something? What if they see him?"

"It's almost 5 a.m. ... This place is an absolute desert. And we're driving outside the city. No one´s gonna see anything. I already got the kid´s phone and documents and locked them up too. Just in case..."

"Yeah. Anyway, thanks pal. We did it... the kid´s ours." Jayce said, sincerely.

"Yeah... we're gonna have lots of fun with him."

\-----

Back at the party, Akali was happily giving an autograph to a girl. Finally, this was the last one! More than thirty people had gathered around her asking for an autograph and her hand already hurt. She couldn´t wait to check on Ekko and see if he was feeling better or if he was just sprawled on one of the couches sleeping. She smiled at the thought and made her way to where she had last seen him... But he wasn´t there. Surprised, she looked around. He wasn´t anywhere to be found. 

"Strange..." She thought "Maybe he went upstairs? He knows he has permission to go wherever he wants inside the mansion."

Akali walked over to the mixing table. A black haired girl had taken over and Yasuo rested on an armchair nearby.

"Yasuo? You´ve seen Ekko?"

"No. Wasn´t he with you?" Yasuo looked surprised. Usually, where Akali was, Ekko could be found.

"He Was..." She said. "But we got separated for a while and now I can't find him. He wasn't feeling well so maybe he went to rest upstairs? Or maybe he went to another room downstairs?"

Ahri was passing by and Akali approached her. "Ahri! Can you go check if EKko is upstairs? I´ll go check in the other rooms."

"He can´t be." Ahri said, surprised. "We locked the access to all the other rooms since we were going to have so many people over. He has to be here or in the bathroom."

Something inside Akali started telling her that something was very wrong. However, she strove for the slim chance that his friend could be in the bathroom, since he wasn't feeling well and all.

"I'm gonna go check if he's there." Yasuo said.

Akali waited patiently as her heart started to throb. A few minutes later, Yasuo came back and his worried expression let her know everything she needed to know without her friend even uttering a word.

"You didn't find him?" Akali's heart started racing against her chest.

"No. I don't know where the kid could be. It's not normal for him to disappear like this."

Suddenly, Akali felt someone put a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and saw Senna. She also looked worried.

"Akali, where is Ekko?"


	4. Living nightmare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RAPE WARNING. If you are offended or feel uncomfortable with something like this, skip the first part and read the second one only. The first part includes graphic descriptions of rape and sexual assault of a minor.  
> Sorry I took so long to update. This was hard to write.
> 
> Please post your opinions/concerns in the comments down below :) I love feedback!

His eyes opened slowly. They felt so unbelievably heavy.

He closed them again.

But it wasn't only his eyes that felt that way. It was as if his whole body weighted a ton. He tried moving his fingers a bit. He succeeded, but ever so slightly. His legs were unresponsive. He tried opening his eyes again. He fought hard against the weight on his eyelids and ignored the wave of nausea that plagued him as he slightly moved his head to the side. He could see he was lying in a bed, tucked under the covers, his head resting on a pillow. He took a look at the room around him.

The walls were entirely made of wood. There were a few windows through which almost no light passed, as they were incredibly dirty, as if they had never been cleaned. In the corner, a few rickety chairs covered in spiderwebs lay abandoned. The pendant light, hanging from the ceiling, didn't do a very good job of illuminating its surroundings and most of the room was hidden in shadows...

This wasn't home. He wasn't in one of the K/DA mansion guest rooms either.

Where was he?

How had he gotten here?

Fear started taking over like fire spreading through his unresponsive body. He couldn't move. It was as if his head had been split open. His vision was blurry. Nothing around him was in any way, familiar.

What had happened...?

Despite the splitting headache, the boy tried his best to think of the last thing he could recall. He was at a party. In the K/DA mansion. Ahri had hosted it for them. He spent the night hanging out with Akali. He'd met and talked with some fans. Someone had made a toast to the band. Who had it been? Ah yes, that cop that was friends with Kai'sa. And after that? He... he couldn't remember. It was no use.

He decided it would probably be best to stop straining his mind.

The boy inhaled deeply, exhaled and just lay there for long minutes staring at the ceiling. He rested his throbbing head against the pillow. As the dizziness and pain slowly slipped away, he became more and more aware and in control of his mind and body. As a direct result, the most critical questions started plaguing his mind.

Where was... here? Why was he in this house? Just what was going on? Was he...?

Was he in danger?

Suddenly he heard the sound of a key turning inside a lock. He looked with difficulty in the direction of the door. It was slowly opened and it revealed... The cop from the night before? The boy's eyes widened in shock.

Had... had that man locked him in there?

He had had to unlock the door in order to enter...

With a racing heart, he carefully examined the new figure in the room. He hadn't payed that much attention to him the night prior. The man was undoubtedly taller than him and mildly muscular, with a strong jawline. He had big hands with thick fingers and seemed very physically strong. However, the thing that caught his attention were his eyes. They were small and dark colored and were staring right at him with so much intensity. He felt shivers down his spine. It was so insanely creepy.

"Hello, Ekko". The guy said.

Suddenly, he began to move in his direction, closing the distance between them with each step. There was something about this person that made the teen want to get up and run away. Only, in that state and in his current situation he couldn't. All that there was left for him to do was wait.

The man had finished crossing the room and was now standing beside the boy. He sat down on the edge of the bed, looking down at him. Ekko couldn't let go of the feeling of uneasiness this man gave him. There was an animalistc hunger in his eyes. It made him feel like a trophy that had been won and was currently being admired. Like an object that could be claimed at any second. As if the man saw him as something that belonged to him...

Ekko struggled to sit upright, but with a lot of effort and by using his arms to support himself, he was able to achieve it. He wanted to be at eye level with the other guy. It made him feel better somehow. Being intensely stared at while lying down made the man a much more menacing presence.

"Who... are you? Again?" Ekko asked.

"Huh? You don't remember my name? What a way to break my heart, boy." He said, feigning being hurt. He got closer to Ekko, their noses almost touching and whispered "I'm Jayce."

The boy's eyes widened.

Wait, Jayce?

Ekko felt dizzy for a moment and had to shut his eyes, as missing memories from the previous night flooded him. His mind was hazy and his thought process was slow at the moment but he managed to put two and two together.

"The drink... You put something in my drink..." He concluded, opening his eyes and looking at the man.

"What a clever kid..." Jayce said, smirking.

"But... why? Why did you kidnap me? What do you want from me?" Ekko asked, fear clawing at his insides.

The man made a twisted smile. "To put it simply, I've been following you for a year. I can't get you out of my mind."

The boy's heart skipped a beat. This... This man had been stalking him? And not him or anyone had ever suspected anything? Ekko started feeling sick.

"I saw you on the cover of a magazine a short time after your band's debut." Jayce explained. "And I fell in love."

Wait, what? Love? Ekko stared at him wide-eyed. What did he mean by "love"? Was he insane?

"You were just so incredibly delicious. With innocent eyes and the most beautiful smile..."

"You're out of your mind. You can't Possibly love me." Ekko interrupted him.

The man looked like he had just been punched in the face and just stared back at the kid.

"What do you mean, I can't love you? I DO love you. I really do..."

Ekko couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You're delusional man. You can't fall in love with someone you never actually met." The kid looked him the eyes, his face emoting the disgust he was feeling inside. "Are you crazy or something? There's no way in hell that you can actually love me." Ekko was getting angrier by the second. This guy was a lunatic and needed a psychologist. "People don't drug and kidnap the one they love for starters!" He yelled.

The teen had expected his speech to have some kind of effect on Jayce. Maybe he had managed to slap a bit of sense into that pitiful human being. But unfortunately...

It had the complete opposite effect.

All of a sudden, the covers were yanked from him and the teen felt a hand on his thigh. Before he could even utter a word, he saw the man closing in on him very fast, coming face to face with him. He felt a hot breath against his face as Jayce looked him in the eyes. They were the scariest Ekko had seen them yet: They were wide open as far as they could go and the pupils were contracted. A wide smile adorned his lips. He looked absolutely insane. The boy instinctively distanced himself.

"You just look so cute when you get angry. I love that!" The man said, moving his other hand to caress the boy's face. His smile just got even wider. "Don't worry. I will prove you that I love you. Right now."

Ekko slapped the unwelcome hand away from his face. "Don't touch me!"

Unfortunately, Jayce, seizing the opportunity, grabbed his wrist and pulled him closer. Then, without hesitation or a single warning, he grasped the back of the teen's head and pressed his lips against his. Ekko's eyes widened in shock at the man's sudden action. He froze in place as his lips were cruelly invaded.

Probably almost no one would believe him if he told them, since he had always been very popular among the girls, even before he became a star. He had had a few crushes, yes, but he had actually never kissed someone before. Unlike many people his age, Ekko believed that a kiss is a special moment that you share with someone when you truly love them. To him, it held a deep meaning. In his opinion, people were way too hasty in making decisions when it came to relationships. They were impatient and threw meaningful moments away without giving it a second thought. Most people rushed so many things in their lives, yet complained that time was never enough... There was no understanding them. He, on the other hand, was incapable of going around kissing people like it was nothing. He liked making the most out of every single moment.

But now... He would never have the opportunity to share his first kiss with someone he loved deeply. His first kiss had been stolen from him, pried away without him being given a choice. And the one to do it, had been a man who had drugged him and taken him away from his loved ones by force.

He couldn't believe it... he just couldn't.

He felt himself getting invaded by a terrible sadness: There was no love involved in this kiss. It couldn't be called lust either. It was only about control.

He began panicking as he was running out of air.

Jayce finally pulled away to breathe and Ekko gasped desperately, trying to get air circulating in his lungs once again. He hadn't even recovered from the first attack and the man was already closing in on him once again. The boy tried resisting this time though, turning his head to the side and using his free arm to push the offender away. That wasn't stopping him though, as he was much stronger than the teen and Ekko was still under the influence of the drug, rendering him weaker than he would usually be. The boy's struggle barely meant anything. The man simply captured his other wrist and easily held both in one hand. Then he grabbed the boy's chin with violence and forced Ekko into another kiss. He had been dying to know what he tasted like though, so this time he inserted his tongue into the teen's mouth. However, Ekko panicked at the weird sensation and bit the intruding organ hard.

Jayce cried out in pain and pulled away, releasing the teen's wrists in the process. He closed his eyes hard to better withstand the pain and didn't move for a few seconds. Then he opened them up again. Instead of being mad though, he seemed turned on by what Ekko had done.

"Feisty, I see. I like that."

Ekko was getting scared. Nothing he tried seemed to slow or stop the man's advances on him.

Jayce tried getting into his mouth once again. But Ekko was prepared this time and had his mouth clenched shut.

The man smiled. More to himself than to the kid. Ekko liked playing it rough huh? He seemed to enjoy giving him trouble and play hard to get.

How fun...

He would show him he could also give him trouble...

Ekko was apprehensive, wondering what the man would do next, when a strong hand pushed hard against his chest and he was thrown onto his back. The man positioned himself on top of him, his body weight being enough to stop him in his tracks. With one swift motion, Jayce pulled Ekko's shirt up, completely exposing his chest. Once again, as he tried fighting the man, he had his wrists effortlessly captured by a large hand and pinned down on the matress above his head.

God... He felt so weak, his attempts felt completely useless. The man wasn't struggling in the slightest and he couldn't even move. He tried wriggling out of the iron grip, but to no avail. He knew the drug was taking its toll on him, but even if it hadn't been in his system, he doubted he could have fought off the older man. He was just so unbelievably strong in comparison...

Jayce was looking down at him, feeling pleasure in seeing how completely helpless he was.

Ekko felt a large hand on his stomach. It slowly caressed the area and then started roaming around, describing irregular patterns all over his upper body. The touch was gentle, almost like a caress.

But he didn't want it. It just felt wrong.

So wrong.

Once again, he struggled, trying to get away from the invasive hand, but he was firmly locked in place. He just closed his eyes and turned his head to the side, trying to somehow ignore what was happening.

The man's hand kept on exploring the younger body. It just kept on going, tenderly massaging all over the skin until it found the boy's nipples. With a terrifying grin of satisfaction, the man began rubbing one carefully.

Ekko's eyes shot open and he jolted at the weird and unwanted sensation.

"No... stop!" He begged staring back at the man.

But he didn't stop. He instead began rubbing harder and faster. Waves of unwanted pleasure rushed through Ekko's body. The boy grit his teeth. Being touched like this... felt so unbelievably gross. He just wanted it to cease at once.

The intense experience resulted in the boy letting a moan escape his lips. This caught the man's attention.

He wanted to hear Ekko moan again.

So, he decided to use his mouth. He approached the boy's nipple and started licking it and sucking on it. It began to harden, doubling the amount of unwanted pleasure he experienced and making everything worse.

"Stop it!" The boy shouted.

"Why?" the man said with a smile. "Don't lie to me, you're loving this."

"I'm not! Stop!" Ekko pleaded, desperately.

Jayce adjusted his body and got closer to Ekko's face. As he still denied him access to his mouth, he had an idea. The man squeezed and twisted the boy's nipple violently, making him cry out in pain. Taking the chance, he invaded his mouth once again.

Ekko squeezed his eyes shut as the man's tongue hungrily explored everything inside his mouth. He thought of biting it once again, but... What would it accomplish? It had only made the situation worse the first time... Realizing that that there was nothing he could do, he just accepted the intruding organ in his mouth with disgust.

The man was too lost in the pleasure of tasting the inside of the boy's mouth and he kept at it for a long time. Once he had had enough, he receded and looked at the boy beneath him, only to be met with a defiant expression and eyes burning with anger.

"Why are you so mad? Aren't you liking this?" He once again approached the teen and started planting soft kisses on his neck.

Ekko did his best to shy away from Jayce's advances. "No. I hate it." He said in a disgusted tone.

The man raised his head and smiling, looked the boy in the eyes. "That's ok. Let's do something else instead."

The man pulled himself up and leaving the boy be for a bit, he turned around and reached under the bed. A few seconds later, Ekko could see with horror that he had retrieved some rope. The boy's eyes widened with fear and he started backing off. This couldn't be good. He didn't go far though, as Jayce gripped his ankle and easily pulled him over. Even though it was futile, the boy tried stopping him with all he had. He wouldn't be going down without a fight. But it was a lost battle. A few minutes later, he had been rolled over with violence and was now lying face down on the mattress. His hands had been tied tightly behind his back.

"Sorry about that." Jayce said, unapologetically and mentally praising himself for how effective his restraints were. "You just struggle too much and might end up hurting yourself if you don't stay still like a good boy."

Ekko fought hard against his bindings. He absolutely despised being restrained.

However, he stopped dead in his tracks when he felt a hand tugging at his pants.

His whole body turned cold.

His eyes widened.

No.

This man couldn't possibly be thinking...

Ekko didn't want to accept that thought as even being real. But Jayce's intentions were as clear as day as his pants were pulled to his ankles.

"No! " Ekko's heart began racing against his chest. "What are you doing?" He asked in a panic filled voice.

But he knew what he was doing.

He just didn't want to believe it...

Jayce smiled, eyes filled with lust. He whispered "Hush little one. I'm about to make you feel really good."

With that said, he yanked the boy's pants off of him and in a fraction of a second did the same to his boxers.

Ekko was filled with a sense of dread as the lower half of his body was fully exposed. This couldn't be happening. It simply couldn't.

"NO PLEASE!" He practically screamed in utter desperation as warm tears of pure panic started streaming down his face. "You can't do this!"

The man just ignored him and Ekko felt a hand forcefully grab his legs and pull them wide apart. Jayce used his own body to hold them in place with little to no difficulty and focused his attention on his next move.

Ekko jolted when one of the man's fingers slowly penetrated him. The boy flinched and made a sound of distress, squeezing his eyes shut.

It hurt.

It hurt.

It hurt so much.

And he was only using one finger...

The older man kept on feeling his insides, stretching them slowly, giving him time to adjust.

"I'm pretty sure this is your first time, at least with another man." Jayce said quietly in a lust filled voice. "So I'm being kind and preparing you beforehand."

Kind?

Had the man said kind?

This wasn't kindness. This was an utter violation of his body.

More tears escaped Ekko's eyes. This couldn't be happening to him. It just couldn't...

"Please... stop." He pleaded once again.

And once again the man ignored him. As he felt the boy had adjusted to his finger, he added another one and kept on stretching. And then another one. The boy's insides were so darn hot and enveloped his fingers like fire.

"Damn you're so tight..." The man said. "I almost forgot what's like to fuck a virgin."

Ekko just layed there, completely taken over by a heavy discomfort. His eyes were slowly turning red as his face was constantly being wet by unending tears. His mouth felt like sand and his arms and legs were shaking like leaves against the wind from the fear and the pain he was experiencing. His throat and mouth emitted weak moans of unwanted pleasure.

He didn't want this.

He hated this.

He hated this so much...

After a good while, Ekko finally felt the intruding hands leave him, and his body was allowed to relax. The sensation of relief was short lived though, as he heard the sound of pants being unzipped. The boy's adrenaline spiked and fear chilled him to his core.

He felt two hands firmly grab his hips as the man aligned himself in front of his tight hole. Then, he began to push. At first, the man's member and the boy's body didn't agree, despite him having been stretched beforehand. But the man was surprisingly patient and waited for the boy's muscles to adjust to the intrusion. After a few thrusts he was able to enter.

Ekko let out a cry of pain. Despite all the patience and gentleness, it still felt as if someone was cutting through him with sharp knives. His body was beyond tense and had paled. Tears dripped from his tightly shut eyes as he grit his teeth.

The man just kept on abusing his entrance, seeking only his own pleasure. He used his hands to freely explore the boy's exposed back and hips, groping and touching him all over. He planted soft kisses on the back of the teen's neck as each thrust became harder and faster.

The boy was crying profusely, trembling and wailing in pure agony.

This was disgusting.

Everything was disgusting. The man's hands that touched his body all over. The way he was being thrust into with no regards to his feelings. The animalistic groans and moans the man was letting out as he violated his small body. Disgusting.

And it hurt.

It hurt.

God, everything hurt.

"Please... just make it stop." Ekko thought in utter desperation. "Please make it stop. Make it stop. Please just let him be done with it..."

After what felt like an eternity, the man made a gruesome sound of pleasure as he came inside the young body below him. A white sticky substance started dripping from inside Ekko's behind onto the sheets below.

The boy felt like throwing up.

He had never wanted this. He hadn't asked for this.

It all had been forced on him.

He never even had a choice...

Jayce pulled out from inside the boy's ass with a grin adorning his lips. To him, the boy's tight little hole and body heat, the softness of his skin, it all had been pure bliss.

To Ekko, it had been a living nightmare.

Out of the corner of his eye, the boy could make out Jayce coming closer to his face once again. He flinched, hid his face and closed his tear filled eyes.

He couldn't face the man who had done this to him.

He simply couldn't.

Jayce planted a soft kiss on his cheek and simply said "You were a good fuck. I might take you again later."

Ekko's heart dropped as he heard this. This couldn't happen again... Especially not that day. It couldn't. It was too much. It was more than his body and soul could take.

The man let go of the panicking boy's legs and started untying his wrists. Once free, Ekko desperately curled into a ball, trembling violently.

The realization of what had happened started slowly sinking into his mind.

This... This is how his first sexual encounter would be. Tied up, molested and raped by a man he didn't know and who didn't care about him in the slightest. His innocence straight up ripped from him.

He heard the man exiting the room and locking the door behind him.

Ekko was left on the bed in agonizing pain, covered in bruises from being held down for so long and his wrists sustained deep painful marks from the bindings. This was so much more than he could bear. The boy felt a lump in his throat and his chest was heavy as if it carried rocks inside it. Ekko let out a whimper and covered his face with his hands. A sob racked his body and more ensued, as tears began to fall once again.

Feeling completely alone, the boy thought of his friends. How worried they must have been when they couldn't find him. How much his family would suffer when they heard he had gone missing. He hated to be the cause of their distress. If something like this had happened to him, he now feared for them...

His parents, Akali, Qiyana, Senna, Yasuo.

He just wanted them all to be safe...

.............................................

"He wasn't at the park either." Senna reported in a worry filled voice to her friends when stepping into the kitchen. Lucian entered right after her.

Two tired faces frowned deeply once they heard the news. The third one didn't even react, as she was somberly looking at her coffee. None of them had slept. Each of them had spent the rest of the previous night and the entire day looking for their missing friend around town.

"I don't understand." Lucian said sadly. "It's like the kid vanished".

"Any luck calling him?" Senna asked Akali with hope, even thought she knew the answer would more than likely be negative.

The girl, with heavy bags under her eyes that contrasted immensely with the paleness of her skin, lowered her head in response.

"I see..." Whispered Senna. She looked at Yasuo who was silent as usual. But this wasn't a normal silence. It had so much weight to it. Even if he didn't voice his thoughts, they all knew he was worried sick about Ekko. She observed Akali who had made nearly 80 calls in 24 hours trying to reach her best friend, but to no avail. She was getting increasingly desperate each time the phone gave the signal and there was no answer. Finally she looked at Qiyana, whose silence was more surprising and had even more weight to it than Yasuo's. When she had been told the boy was missing, her eyes had widened with shock. She seemed in denial for a while until she accepted the situation was real. She had actually been the one to take the initiative to go out and look for him, abandoning the party without even saying goodbye. After hours upon hours of searching without finding even a trace, she had come back home and hadn't uttered a single word since. Senna eyed her with sympathy. She knew that despite their proneness to argue and the jokes the boy made about Qiyana's obssession with fashion and beauty, the girl cared for him deeply. Just like she did. Senna was still processing it all. It seemed so impossible for Ekko to just simply disappear. Yet it had happened. Where could he have gone? Or rather, where could he have been taken to...?

Senna had kept this thought to herself the entire time. If she voiced her worries, she would alarm her friends even more and they were already in a terrible state. It was just so unlike Ekko to leave without telling anyone. Even when he went out to buy groceries or take a walk, he always made sure to let at least one person know so they wouldn't be worried about him. He had absolutely no reason to run away either.

No.

She was almost positive something bad had happened to him.

The next day, around that time, Ekko would have officially been missing for 48 hours.

If he didn't show up until then, she would go straight to the police.

This was a living nightmare.


	5. Possibilites

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. It took me a bit to update because I was busy with the Holiday. I hope everyone had a great Christmas! 
> 
> As always, please leave a comment :) I love feedback!

Qiyana couldn't sleep that night. She had been lying down for what seemed like an eternity without being able to close her eyes. Her friends and her had agreed that it would be best to get some rest for they had been awake for 24 hours straight, tirelessly looking for Ekko. She had tucked herself in bed, under the warm covers. But it was no use.

The girl's mind just kept on being plagued by thoughts about what could have possibly happened to her friend and every possibility was scarier than the last. She couldn't shake off the feeling that something terrible had happened to the young boy. Ekko was a responsible and mature teenager, he wouldn't just go missing without rhyme or reason. The prospect of a kidnapping was ever present. And terrifyingly, it was the most likely scenario. What would they want though? Money? Would they ask for ransom? Would they be using him to get to one of them? Could they be trying to get information out of him? And if so, on what? Would... would they hurt him?

Qiyana rolled over and covered her head with her pillow. Why Ekko? What could someone possibly want from such a young boy? And if they did hurt him... how could they? Who could possibly be so cruel as to hurt a sweet innocent kid? He had never hurt anyone. He was kind, generous and concerned about the well being of others. He didn't deserve something like this to happen to him...

Qiyana's head began to hurt from the worry and the lack of sleep. All these thoughts were slowly frying her mind. Maybe getting up and walking around for a bit could help her calm down.

Sitting upright on her bed, Qiyana looked for the light switch. Once she found it, she turned the lights on and slowly got up. At that moment she started hearing faraway voices. Curious, she put on her pink robe and exited her room. The voices started becoming clearer the closer she got to the kitchen and now, even though they were still out of sight, she could clearly distinguish Senna and Akali.

The two girls looked at Qiyana in surprise when she stepped into the room.

"Hey." Said Senna with a sad smile. "Also can't sleep?".

Qiyana just shook her head in response. "I can't stop thinking about Ekko... I just have this terrible feeling...".

"That something happened to him?" Senna asked.

"Yes..." Qiyana replied. "Something... bad".

With worry defining their features, Akali and Senna looked at one another for brief seconds.

"It hurts me to say it, but I agree. Senna and I were talking about it just before you arrived. We really believe... "Akali paused and clenched her eyes shut before delivering, for the words hurt to even say. " ...he might have been kidnapped."

Qiyana tensed and locked her eyes onto the tile floor. "I guess... I guess we all reached the same conclusion." She said, rubbing her arm for comfort.

There was a moment of silence and tension before Akali spoke again. She had been waiting for all of them to be together to finally disclose her suspicions. Yasuo was absent, but she couldn't hold it in any longer.

"I think..." Said Akali looking very uncomfortable. "I think I know who might have kidnapped him..."

Senna and Qiyana turned their heads towards Akali with startling speed and their mouths dropped.

"What? Who?" Qiyana's eyes were wide with shock.

Akali became very serious and started reporting all she knew. "Remember that Ekko was perfectly fine and then he started feeling weird and tired for no reason? What if it wasn't for no reason? What if someone drugged him somehow?" She was looking Qiyana and Senna right in the eyes. They listened attentively and didn't even dare to breathe. "I suspect a guy that was with Kai'sa. Some Jayce guy. He brought us some drinks and some minutes later Ekko started saying he was feeling sleepy out of nowhere. I didn't think too much of it, but then the guy disappeared as soon as Ekko went missing! Isn't it too much of a coincidence?"

"Wow, wait!" Exclaimed Qiyana. "Aren't you being a bit hasty? It was pretty late and he danced for like ten minutes straight."

"I had heard of that man before." Commented Senna. "Jayce is a sort of hero to the city. He has already put many dangerous criminals behind bars and criminality rate has declined a lot in recent years because of him. Do you think someone like that would kidnap a teenager? It just doesn't sound very likely..."

"Maybe that's why he would do it." Akali sounded extremely convinced. "Because no one would suspect him..."

"Akali... I don't know..." Senna was pensive. "Those are some pretty serious accusations. Do you have any proof?"

"No..." Akali cast her eyes down. "But we need to go to the police anyway!" She exclaimed, lifting her head once again. Her eyes burned with passion.

"Yes... We need to warn the authorities. I'll pass by the police station tomorrow night." Senna said with resolve.

"Wait, what?" Qiyana looked at her friend in shock. "Tomorrow night? What do you mean? Shouldn't we go as soon as possible?"

"According to the police, a person is only considered missing after 48 hours. That is why we need to wait so long..."

"No way!" Qiyana was outraged and advanced forward, stepping in between her two friends. "What if it's too late by then? We already looked for him everywhere and we just can't find him. We can't wait!"

"But... it's the law! It's how it works..." But even she didn't completely agree with her own words.

"Senna, who CARES about some stupid law?" Qiyana turned to Akali and stared intensely at her as if challenging the girl. "He is OUR friend. Isn't he worth breaking any law for?"

Akali reflected upon Qiyana's words for a bit. "To me... he is worth turning the entire world upside down for..." She uttered sadly, her eyes lost in the white of the wall in front of her.

Senna was a bit concerned. "Qiyana... I understand where you're coming from. You're worried about him, we all are. But you can't make the police just obey you and go against the rules. They won't listen!"

"Oh yeah? Watch me!" The girl said, louder than she had intended. "I'm going to the police station first thing in the morning. And I'll MAKE them take this case A.S.A.P.!"

"Qiyana, please! We don't want trouble. We already have too much in our hands as it is."

"I won't cause any trouble, don't worry about that." Her tone changed from serious to cynical really fast. "But at least I'm showing that I'm worried about him!"

It looked like someone had slapped Senna. "Wait?! Excuse me? Are you trying to say that I don't care about Ekko?!" 

Qiyana raised an eyebrow and wrinkled her nose. "It doesn't feel like it, no."

Senna widened her eyes in disbelief and her heart shrunk. But as usual, she managed to keep her emotions under control. "Why are you saying that?"

"You just look so... I don't know... Relaxed? Too relaxed? It's been what, an entire day? And I haven't seen you worry ONCE like the rest of us." Qiyana continued in an accusing tone. "A CHILD is missing. And he is your FRIEND! You just seem so... Detached from everything! It's like our Friend possibly being in danger doesn't affect you!"

"Qiyana! Do NOT assume what I'm feeling." Senna furrowed her eyebrows and narrowed her eyes sharply. Her tone was as harsh as her stare. "I care as much as you do about Ekko. He's an amazing kid and a great person with a big heart. Have you even considered that I might just be better at keeping my emotions in check than you?".

These words had some effect on Qiyana, who clearly hadn't considered that possibility. It was true that Senna rarely if ever let herself get affected by problems, or at least she kept her emotions very well hidden.

" I... Suppose that's true." Admitted Qiyana feeling like her friend was right. She took a deep breath and looked Senna in the eyes. "I'm sorry."

Senna's expression relaxed and she reached to Qiyana, putting a hand on her shoulder. "It's OK. I'm sorry too. We're all stressed out. You're right to be feeling like that and I don't blame you. I can try going to the police station tomorrow morning and see what I can do."

Qyiana's eyes immediately lit up. "Let's both go."

"Wanna come too, Akali?" Senna looked at her friend, who was sitting down at the table and was resting her head on her crossed arms. The heavy bags under her eyes and her vacant, lifeless expression, communicated an exhaustion that was of body and spirit.

"Akali?" Qiyana tried getting her attention. But it seemed like Akali was too lost in her own thoughts to even hear her friends. 

Senna slightly shook her shoulder. "Akali, dear? Are you OK?"

The girl jolted in her seat as if she had awoken from a bad dream. She looked at her friends with her face now full of confusion. "Huh? What is it?"

Qiyana looked worriedly at her. "I know we're all concerned about Ekko... But this must be affecting you the most... You've been friends your whole life..."

"That didn't even occur to me..." Senna said to Qiyana. Then she turned to Akali. "I'm so sorry sweetie. If I'm feeling this terrible, I can't even imagine what you're going through."

Akali gave them a sad smile. "It's OK girls, thank you." After a few moments of silence, she spoke again. "You're right, it's been really hard for me to deal with this. Because... I just can't bear the thought of losing him." Akali held her head with her hand.

The other two girls tried comforting her with understanding expressions. 

"But on the other hand, I'm trying to convince myself that he HAS to be all right you know? Because... I don't want to believe that he isn't..." Akali said with a sad smile. "All my life, Ekko has brought me such positive energy. He always said: my boat doesn't sail on sad faces!" She chuckled. "So, I want to stay true to what I learned from him and think positively: We're gonna find him. And he's gonna be all right. I'm sure of it!"

Her friends looked relieved.

"Yes, maybe thinking positively would be a good thing... That's what Ekko does all the time." Commented Qiyana.

"Yeah. He does have a point. Negative thinking leads to desperation and clouds our minds. Right now, what we need is to be focused and have a clear train of thought." Said Senna. The others nodded. "So? We need to decide: who is going tomorrow?"

"You go with Qiyana. I'm gonna try searching for him again... Maybe I'll bring Yasuo along".

"Ok. Then it's settled..." Senna put her hand in front of her mouth to hide a yawn. Her eyes were starting to close by themselves. "Well, I don't know about you girls but I think I'm finally ready to catch some z's. Good night." With that said, she slowly headed to the door.

"I should go too. Maybe now I'll be able to sleep. 'Night Akali."

"G'Night!" Said the girl with a small smile as she watched Qiyana also disappear into the hallway.

Once she found herself alone, Akali's smile dropped and her lips started shaking slightly. Her eyes began to shine as if they were made of glass. Her friends were right. This situation was affecting her a LOT more than she let it show. Her heart was burning from the inside out and it felt like it would explode at a moment's notice. But there was already so much going on, she didn't want them worrying about her too. In that moment, they should solely focus on Ekko. That's all that mattered to her. 

Akali took out her phone, unlocked it and looked at the screen with a heavy heart. The wallpaper was a photo of her and Ekko that hadn't been taken too long ago. Then, the two friends had spent an entire day doing graffitis on a wall of an abandoned outhouse in the outskirts of the city. They had agreed it was all for old time's sake, so the drawings were all of things that brought them fond memories of Zaun and their childhood. Akali examined the picture carefully. They were both proudly standing in front of the wall they had graffitied. She was throwing a peace sign with one hand and holding the phone with the other while Ekko had his arm around her shoulders and was wearing his enchanting smile. Looking at the figure of the boy made her heart skip a beat inside her chest.

"Oh, Ekko..." Akali whispered as if she were about to burst into tears. "Where are you?"

She felt terribly empty as if all the air had been forced out of her lungs, as if her veins had been sucked dry. She always knew she liked Ekko. A Lot. But she never imagined she would feel as if the entire world had lost its colors if he were gone. She could now understand why her mom often said that no one really knows how much things mean to them until they lose them...

But she wanted to believe she hadn't lost him. Not yet. It couldn't be.

They would find him. 

They just had to...

Suddenly, a yawn interrupted her thoughts. Akali felt herself getting increasingly enveloped by tiredness. Her eyelids were heavy like two boulders and her whole body hurt. The girl rested her head on her arms. Maybe she could close her eyes for just a little bit...

No. She couldn't fight sleep. She had been awake for far too long. And it wasn't as if depriving herself from sleeping would bring her best friend back.

Before drifting off, the last thing she saw in her mind's eye was a very vivid image of Ekko smiling at her...

.............................................

"Good morning, can you help us?" Asked Senna.

The police officer was sitting at the desk, busily typing on the keyboard. Once she noticed the two girls in front of her, she coldly stared at them over the sunglasses that she wore despite being indoors.

"How may I be of service?" She said quickly, without even bothering to greet them.

"Well, we're here to report a missing person." Senna stated, going straight to the point. "Our friend disappeared at a party about 24 hours ago. We didn't want to sound the alarm too soon in case it was just a misunderstanding, so we tried searching for him around town first. But there is no sign of him."

"I see." Said the officer, with no emotion in her voice. She opened up a window on her computer. "Well, do you have a photo of him?" 

Qiyana stepped forward and reached inside her purse. "Yes. Here it is." She said, handing over a magazine.

The officer accepted it, looking a bit puzzled, but she understood once she looked at the front cover.

"This is that teen star, isn't it?" She said, studying the picture.

"Yes. His name is Ekko, officer." Said Qiyana. 

The woman made a sound of understanding. She readily got her hands back on the keyboard. "Well, I got his name: Ekko." She quickly ran her fingers across the keys. "I'm going to need you to provide some more information like his age, height, the site where he was last seen and places he would likely go to."

As Senna kept on feeding the officer with information, Qiyana eyed the woman with interest. She was young and could be considered pretty, but her face was ever stuck in an ugly scowl. She wore her long blue hair loose and had long delicate fingers. She was wearing a very distintive top hat on top of her head and whenever she looked over her sunglasses, her icy blue eyes would give off a stare that was cold and unforgiving. There was a somewhat arrogant vibe to her and Qiyana wrinkled her nose with distaste.

"Very well, I've got the basic information down. Now, can you tell me if there is any reason for your friend to run away? Maybe a fight he had with someone?"

In that moment the two girls exchanged glances. Senna was apprehensive, but Qiyana nodded to convince her to speak. The girl nervously clenched her fist and took a step forward.

"Officer... We don't think our friend ran away. He had absolutely no reason to do so. And even if he did, it's just not typical of him to avoid his problems. We... "

Senna hesitated for a long time and Qiyana intervened to help her. "We believe he might have been kidnapped."

"Kidnapped?" The officer raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think that? And is there anyone you suspect might be responsible for it?"

"It's just not typical of Ekko to disappear like this without telling anyone." Explained Qiyana. "I know him, officer. It's simply not something he would do. Only if he didn't have a choice or was forced to do so!"

"I understand. Any suspects? Maybe an enemy who could want some kind of revenge?"

Qiyana furrowed her eyebrows and hesitated for a little bit. "Well... We do have someone we suspect of..."

"Yes?" Asked the woman.

The girl tensed. She glanced at Senna and their eyes met. She was also doubtful. Would disclosing Akali's suspicions be a good idea? She could be accusing an innocent and an officer of the law. But her friend might have been onto something. Usually, nothing got past Akali. They decided to risk it. 

"Hm... This might sound... Weird to you." Senna picked up where Qiyana had left off. She gathered all her courage and took a deep breath. "Our friend believes officer Jayce might be behind it."

In that moment, the tension in the room could almost be physically felt.

The woman froze with shock. She slowly reached for her sunglasses and gently took them off. She stared intensely at both girls while wearing a poker face. But for some odd reason, despite her expression, she didn't feel emotionless this time. It seemed more like she was filled with conflicting emotions and her brain simply didn't know what to order her to feel.

"Excuse me? Jayce? My colleague Jayce?" She asked calmly, clearly disbelieving.

"Yes. That Jayce." Qiyana tried to clarify everything. "Our friend Akali spent the entire evening with Ekko and she said the officer was around him for some time. He brought them some drinks and minutes later, Ekko started feeling drowsy for no apparent reason. She suspects officer Jayce might have put something in his drink. Then, as soon as our friend went missing, the officer disappeared from the party... It's just very suspicious."

The girls could clearly see the officer's brain was still processing it all. After a few moments of silence she finally spoke again. 

"That's a very serious accusation. What makes you believe Jayce would do something like that?" The woman's tone was cool and collected but a bit of annoyance could be perceived through the wrinkle on her forehead.

"Well, we don't want to jump to conclusions." Said Senna. "We aren't here claiming to know what happened or to point fingers at anyone. It's only a suspicion that actually makes sense."

"I see." The woman was deep in thought for a while. "Even if the drink had something in it, did it occur to you that the bartender could be responsible for it and not my colleague? Or any other person?"

"It's a possibility..." Said Qiyana.

The officer looked them in the eyes, dead serious. "Putting professional life aside, Jayce is one of the most spectacular people I know. His efforts for this city have been felt heavily in recent years. Some of what used to be the most dangerous spots in town are now devoided of threats and it's all thanks to him. He isn't just an admirable police officer, he is an honorable man and one of my closest friends."

Qiyana and Senna listened attentively. Akali's theory made sense, but it really seemed so unlikely...

"I'm not going to say your friend's suspicions are outright impossible. But it's hard for me to believe someone like Jayce who has done so much for so many people would just go and kidnap a teenage boy. What would he gain from it? It doesn't make much sense in my head. Besides, do you have any sort of evidence to backup your claim?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"No, officer..." Said Senna. "Like we said before: it is just a possibility."

"Yes, we aren't saying anything in concrete." Intervened Qiyana. She gave the officer a harsh stare. "But it shouldn't be dismissed!"

"Don't worry, we won't dismiss your possibility." Guaranteed the woman. She took out a cloth from inside a drawer and started cleaning her sunglasses. "Anyhow, if your friend isn't found by tonight we will take the case. We will start by investigating the K/DA mansion where the party was hosted."

"I'm happy to hear that. Thank you officer." Said Senna with a small smile.

"Is that all?" Asked the woman, her voice going back to the emotionless tone.

"Yes. That's all." Said Qiyana with her blood boiling in her veins. This police officer was getting on her nerves. "C'mon Senna, let's go." They both turned to leave and headed for the door.

"Wait, please. Just one last thing." The woman requested. Senna already had her hand on the handle, but stopped to look back. Qiyana raised an eyebrow and stared impatiently at the figure sitting at the desk.

"If I'm going to be working on this case, that means we will see each other more often. And calling me officer all the time gets... old." She adjusted her hat and said "Just call me Caitlyn. It's what everyone calls me."

.............................................

Saying he had been surprised wasn't enough to describe how Yasuo felt when he stepped into the kitchen and found Akali sleeping at the table.

"Why is she even here? She would be a whole lot more comfortable in her bed." He thought. Yasuo was going to simply leave her be, but after a second glance, he sighed.

Without making a sound, he slowly walked to the living room and retrieved a warm blanket. He returned to the kitchen and carefully put it over the girl's shoulders. She must be freezing, being there all night long. He looked sadly at the phone beside her. Akali must have kept it around in case anyone called with any kind of news about her missing friend or if Ekko himself called. But he suspected the device hadn't rang or vibrated even once. It was there, completely still and quiet. He felt bad for her. He himself was insanely worried about Ekko. Akali was the closest to him, so she must be feeling worse than any of them. Yasuo sighed.

Since he was already there, he might as well make them both some breakfast. He got some bread, placed it inside the toaster and turned it on. Then he opened the fridge and grabbed the milk carton. He was pouring himself and his friend some, when he heard a sound behind him. As soon as he turned around, he could verify that Akali was waking up.

The girl slowly opened her eyes and seemed lost for a few seconds, as she didn't recognize the figure in front of her and this wasn't her bedroom. Soon enough, she understood that she was in the kitchen and Yasuo was there with her.

"Good morning." He said. "Slept well?"

Akali softly rubbed her eyes. "Good morning... I must have fallen asleep here. I was just looking at this last night." She unlocked her phone and there was, once again, the picture of her and Ekko. Yasuo frowned when he looked at it.

"I sure hope the kid is all right." He whispered.

"Me too... That's all I would like to know right now." Akali said, somberly. Suddenly, she noticed the blanket over her shoulders. She grabbed a tip between her thumb and index finger, feeling its warmth and softness and turned to her friend. "Was it you? Thank you."

Yasuo smiled in response. He grabbed the two glasses of milk he had poured and took the seat beside hers. Akali cast her eyes down, staring at the polished surface of the wooden table, as her friend put down one of the glasses in front of her. She smiled sadly. 

"It was my fault you know?" Said Akali out of nowhere.

Yasuo's eyes widened. He looked at the girl in confusion. "What?"

"It was my fault that this happened." The smile didn't leave her face. It wasn't one of satisfaction but rather of disappointment and contempt for herself. "I took my eyes off of him for a few minutes and then... he was gone."

"No, Akali. Please listen: it wasn't your fault." Said Yasuo putting a hand on her shoulder.

"It really was..." She continued. "Ekko wasn't feeling well. And I was a terrible friend and ignored it... I thought he was just tired and that he would be all right. I should have checked on him sooner. No. I shouldn't have left him alone in the first place..."

"Akali, please..."

"No, Yasuo!" Her eyes started filling with tears. "Ekko is God knows where, no one knows if dead or alive! And I could have prevented it... I could have..."

"No." The man interrupted her in a calm tone. "Nothing of what happened was your fault. You didn't know this was going to happen. No one could have seen it coming. No one."

Yasuo inched closer to Akali and moved his arm to encompass both of her shoulders. "Please listen to me. Stop blaming yourself. It's not going to do anything to bring him back." These words had some effect on the girl who turned to look him in the eyes. "Trust me. I've been there. I made actual mistakes in the past. I felt so responsible and blamed myself so much, it almost destroyed me. I had to learn to let go and forgive myself. But you don't even have a reason to put yourself down. There was absolutely nothing you could have done."

Akali just listened in silence.

"It's almost the same as blaming Ekko for disappearing. He's as much to blame as you are..."

Akali's mouth dropped. "You also believe he was... Kidnapped?"

"Yes... Ekko wouldn't just disappear like this. I don't believe it for one second."

"It's what the others think as well..."

"And it's what's the most probable." Yasuo somberly stated. "It's a very scary thought."

Akali slowly nodded in response. When she spoke, she sounded desperate. "Oh Yasuo... Where can he be? And do you think he is all right? If he was really kidnapped, I don't even want to think about what he might be going through..."

"Let's not." Said Yasuo. "We have to think he is OK. It's better not to suffer in advance."

Akali sighed. "You're right. We need to be positive. Like Ekko always tells us to be."

"Exactly." Yasuo smiled at her. "We'll all be together soon. It's best to believe in that." He slowly withdrew his arm, got up and took a look at the kitchen counter. "Well, the toast must be cold by now. I'll make us more so we can eat them warm with jam. Just the way you like'm." He wittily winked at his friend.

Despite everything, Akali smiled.


	6. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy. This one was hard to write because it's just so heavy on emotions. I hope you guys like it!
> 
> Please keep on posting comments as usual. I love your feedback! :)

After being left alone in that room, Ekko cried continuously, curled up and bracing himself, for hours upon hours. When his tears finally ceased, his eyes were red-rimmed and his head was throbbing. The whole room seemed to be spinning. The boy was beyond exhausted, yet, he didn't dare close his eyes. The threatening words of the man: "I might take you again later" lingered inside his mind, chilling him to his core. The still fresh memories of his attacker's breath on his neck, his hungry eyes and his disgusting hands haunted him. He kept his eyes locked onto the door, expecting it to open and imagining the man coming in once again to violate his body and his soul.

But he had already been waiting for so long... Was the man even coming?

Ekko observed as the light beyond the dirty glass of the windows slowly dimmed and the sky turned dark. The room now seemed smaller than before and the boy had the strange feeling that it was closing in on him. As if the darkness was alive and wanted to suffocate him.

Shaking his head violently and sending those thoughts away, Ekko tried moving for the first time in hours. As he did so, he saw his clothes on the floor, where they had been thrown. He hadn't dared redress in case Jayce came back, only to tear them off of him again. He had absolutely hated that feeling. But remaining partially naked made him feel extremely vulnerable, which he also utterly despised. In the end, after weighting the pros and cons, he'd rather dress up. The prospect of warm clothes against his body, even if they were yanked off of him later, was just too good.

The teen slowly tried lifting himself up. His chest and wrists were sore which made supporting himself on his arms difficult. But it didn't compare in any way to the stinging pain that still lingered through his lower half. With disgust and a aching heart, he felt the remains of the sticky white substance dripping down onto the covers. Remembering the man holding him down, groaning like a wild animal while filling his insides with his seed made him nauseous... Ekko felt his stomach turning but covered his mouth and inhaled deeply through the nose to try to control the mild urge to throw up.  
Slowly, he managed to sit on the edge of the bed and then carefully got up. Walking was torture in his weakened state, but he grit his teeth and didn't give up. He approached his clothes that lay across the floor after being thrown away carelessly hours prior and picked them up.

In that moment, he took notice of a door on the opposite side of the room that he hadn't yet seen. Curious, he walked up to it, gently turned the doorknob and stepped into a dark room. He looked for the light switch and clicked it once he found it. It took the small lamp, up on the ceiling, a few tries to turn on. Once it did, the dim yellow light revealed a decently equipped bathroom. The door had a hanger bolted to it. High up against the walls there were multiple wooden cabinets. Above the sink, there existed a big rectangular mirror on the wall, and to its left, a toilet and a bathtub could be found. Everything was dirtied up and covered in dust, but nothing a little cleaning wouldn't solve.

The boy tried turning the taps. The bathtub and the sink had clean running water but it was freezing.

"Better than nothing." He thought. 

He hung his clothes on the hanger and proceeded to clean up the bathtub the best he could using only the cold water and his bare hands. After a good 15 minutes, he was satisfied with his work: The bathtub was as devoided of filth as he would ever manage to make it. 

Then, he once again turned the tap, patiently waited for the tub to fill up and entered shortly after.

The frigid water messed with the nerves on his legs and made his muscles go numb. The hairs on his arms and legs stood up upon contact with the low temperature and his whole body started shaking in an attempt to produce heat. He discovered a small bar of soap and a sponge on the edge of the tub and immediately grabbed them.

The boy scrubbed himself violently. He felt filthy as if the man's hands had tainted his skin. He could still feel them groping his thighs, fondling his chest. The disgusting scent of his assailant still lingered on as if attached to his body. But worst of all, he couldn't get the feeling of having his insides brutally filled out of his mind. A phantom pain made him relive at every second, the moment the man had entered him against his will. Ekko cleaned himself the best he could, desperately scrubbing every inch of his body.

However, with a profound sadness, he reached a depressing conclusion.

This pure crystaline water had the power to wash away the drool, the semen and the sweat. But it wasn't capable of washing away the shame, the trauma and the hurt.

He would have to live with those horrifying memories forever, and nothing could undo what had already been done.

The teen's heart beat fast inside his chest and he tensed. If at least it were a one time thing... But the man had made it clear that he would take him again, sooner or later. So, until the moment he left this place, he would be under the constant threat of being violently assaulted.

A feeling of dread filled his heart. IF he managed to leave...

He had to be rescued someday or he would find a way to escape by himself. Right?

Right.

It would happen. He had to believe in it... He had to have hope.

His friends would contact the police and wouldn't stop looking for him. He was sure of that. He knew Akali, of all people, would never give up on him. He could trust her with his life any day.

After cheering himself up a bit, Ekko felt somewhat better and some of the tension abated. He reclined against the white wall of the tub and rested his abused body. Almost instinctively, he raised his hands out of the water and carefully examined his wrists. The painful, deep rope marks overlayed bruises which were barely noticeable by themselves due to his dark skin tone.

Ekko closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

He wanted nothing more than to stay there forever, letting the crystaline liquid immerse his body. The boy felt as if the water was some kind of barrier that surrounded and separated him from the outside world, protecting him from the imminent danger he was in. However, he knew he couldn't remain there. The water was so frigid that he could catch a cold if he stuck around for too long, and getting sick would only make his already bad situation worse.

Ekko slowly lifted himself up and exited the tub. He grabbed a towel that was hung nearby and dried himself gently, being mindful of his bruises and sore intimate parts. After he was done, he simply put his clothes back on.

Back in the bedroom, Ekko closed the bathroom door behind him, approached the bed and carefully slid under the covers. He fetched a pillow that was nearby and hugged it against his chest, trying to find some comfort. The soft mattress beneath him cradled his aching body and the warmth of the blankets enveloped him. He sadly thought of his mom who would always come to his bedside to caress his face and give him a goodnight kiss. His dad would enter the bedroom shortly after and would tousle his hair and wish him sweet dreams. Akali would sometimes do it too as a sort of joke to mess with him and he would give her an annoyed look. But deep down Ekko enjoyed those moments a lot. And he knew his friend did too. It made him feel safe and cared for.

His heart ached as if it were being crushed under a boulder. What he wouldn't give to be back home with his friends and family...

The boy still looked at the door for a few moments, but it seemed like the man had changed his mind about taking him again. At least for the night...

Ekko's eyelids started closing by themselves. After everything that had happened, he was beyond exhausted and it didn't take long before he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

.............................................

"We're home!" Announced Qiyana stepping into the entrance hall followed by Senna.

Nighttime had already fallen. After stopping by the police station, the two girls had spent the day running errands and taking care of some business with one of their sponsors. They even had time to go around town, looking for Ekko once again. Needless to say, their efforts didn't pay off.

Akali appeared at the kitchen doorway. She was holding a wooden spoon, signaling that her and Yauso must be already cooking dinner.

"Hey girls!" She greeted with a sad smile. "How was your day?"

"Not bad." Said Senna. "Well, we managed to do it. The police is taking the case. He still hasn't shown up so they're starting to look for him tomorrow."

Akali's eyes sparkled. "That's the best thing I've heard all day."

Senna gave her a reassuring smile. "They're going to find him, you'll see!" 

Qiyana snorted. "They better! I hope it's a job worthy of Miss Sunglasses." She said in an annoyed tone.

Akali was lost. "Miss Sunglasses?"

Senna chuckled. "It's a little nickname Qiyana gave to the officer we talked to. She says she had the "Don't talk to me, I'm too good for you" attitude. She was wearing sunglasses indoors. That's where the nickname comes from."

"Oh!" Akali now understood. She smirked. "She looked like a bit of snob then, huh? It totally doesn't remind me of anyone!" She exclaimed looking directly at Qiyana.

"What an insult!" Qiyana crossed her arms. "That officer Caitlyn and I have nothing in common! My stance shows confidence! She was just arrogant!"

Both Senna and Akali looked at one another and laughed, making Qiyana roll her eyes. However, deep down, she wanted them to laugh and was really happy they were doing so. She had never seen Akali so down during the whole time she had known her. But it wasn't only her. They all needed some cheering up, herself included. So, instead of getting annoyed at her friends, she smiled.

"Hey! The three of you are going to just stand there chatting or you're going to help me?" Asked Yasuo, appearing behind Akali.

Senna immediately took off her coat, hung it and proceeded to enter the kitchen.

"Well, I'm here! I spot potatoes that need peeling." She said, walking over to the kitchen sink to wash her hands.

"Senna! You don't need to do that!" Said Akali upon entering the kitchen. "It's my turn and Yasuo's!" She said putting a hand to her chest.

Senna smiled at her as she was sitting down in front of the small pile of potatoes. "Don't worry about it dear! I've got it covered!" All she could see when looking at Akali was her sad, forced smiles and the bags under her eyes. Ekko's disappearence had taken such a toll on her, she didn't want her having to worry about anything or making efforts. Especially doing something like peeling potatoes: A tired mind and body handling a knife could end in disaster.

Akali shrugged. "I mean, fine for me. I'll take your place next week."

"Sounds good to me." Said Senna getting to work.

Akali made a small smile and went to sit beside Senna. Qiyana had also taken a seat at the table and watched Yasuo who was in front of the stove, stirring the contents of the steaming pot. Taking her eyes off of him for a bit, she shifted her attention over to the chair in front of her. That was... That was where Ekko usually sat. She could still see him in her mind's eye, cracking jokes and poking fun at her whenever he was bored. His smile and his laughter were so contagious... He always managed to keep everyone in a good mood and filled the place with life. She couldn't help but notice they all had been a little zombie-ish ever since he disappeared. It wasn't just the worry. It was how much his absence directly impacted their daily lives.

"Absence..." She thought to herself. And suddenly, an unpleasant thought came to her mind. She looked over at her friends and considered for a moment whether she should voice her concerns or not. She ultimately decided to do so and went direct to the point. " Guys?" She called to grab their attention.

Everyone looked in her direction and Akali noticed her friend had paled. "Qiyana, are you ok?" She inquired with worry.

"Now that Ekko has been officially reported missing... Who..." She hesitated for a moment and lowered her head before delivering. "Who is going to tell his parents?"


	7. Fault

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RAPE WARNING! Read to your own discretion.
> 
> This chapter is really long and was super difficult to write. Sorry if I took so long to update, but I hope you like it :)  
> Please keep on leaving comments with your feedback. I love reading them so much!

The sunlight weakly entered through the glass windows and touched the boy's closed eyelids that started shaking slightly. He partially opened his eyes and blinked a few times. He saw the dirty windows and the rickety chairs in the corner of the room and his chest filled with sadness.

It hadn't been a terrible nightmare.

All he could recall was real. That place was real. Too real. He truly had been kidnapped. He had been locked up in that room. And then that man called Jayce had tied him up and had... He couldn't even bring himself to think about it...

His stomach growled. He hadn't eaten anything in almost two days. Was the man planning on starving him or would he bring him something to eat? He was expecting anything from him at this point...

The teen sighed and closed his eyes, turning around to lie on his left side. When he opened them again, he jolted violently and his heart jumped inside his chest.

The man was there. Beside him. Lying under the covers. Looking directly at him. He had a satisfied smile on his face and his eyes carried that lust from the last time he had seen him.

Ekko's entire body became rigid like stone and his eyes widened. The air escaped his lungs. He couldn't utter a word.

"Good morning." Jayce said, the grin never leaving his face. "Did you sleep well?"

He patiently waited for a few moments. All he got ,however, was two wide eyes brimming with fear staring back at him. Disappointed for not receiving a proper answer, he reached for the boy in front of him.

Ekko panicked and tried to get away, but both his wrists were grabbed and he was dragged in the man's direction.

Jayce had to fight for control because the boy struggled heavily and now that the drugs had worn off, he was stronger than before. Nevertheless, he still wasn't a match for him in any way and was quickly overpowered. Jayce pulled the resisting boy against him and held him in his arms. The teen tried pushing him away to no avail. Even still, he kept his palms on the man's chest and tried to keep some distance. He refused to simply submit to this low-life and let him do as he pleased without fighting back.

"Precious child..." The man whispered. Jayce just lay there for long minutes, without moving or making a sound, holding Ekko close. His body was so small and warm. He smelled his hair and it held the sweet aroma of soap, signaling that he had bathed not too long ago. He planted a soft kiss on his forehead.

The boy flinched when the man approached his head and inhaled deeply to take in the scent of his hair. He recoiled at the feeling of those disgusting lips coming in contact with his skin. Why was he so damn creepy? Jayce made every hair on his arms stand up whenever he approached him.

When the man finally moved again, he weakened his grip on the boy, allowing him a bit of distance. Ekko immediately took the chance and pushed the man away.

"Get off me!" He complained glaring his assailant down.

The man smiled cockily. Without even giving Ekko a chance to understand what was happening, he shifted insanely fast, throwing the covers away and positioned himself on top of the young boy.

"What were you saying?" Jayce joked meanly. His lips contorted into an unsettling grin.

Ekko was shocked at how fast the man could move and dumbfounded at how agile he was. In a matter of seconds, both his arms were pinned down on each side of his head. The boy's heart started beating uncontrollably, as the situation was becoming more and more similar to what had happened last time.

Jayce gently kissed his lips but the boy immediately turned away. So, he shifted his attention to his neck and started sucking and biting it, leaving behind hickeys and teeth marks. Ekko closed his eyes and grit his teeth with disgust. Then, he moved over to his ear and began slowly licking its shell, breathing softly into it. The teen felt goosebumps all over.

"Are you liking this?" The man whispered eerily in his ear.

Ekko closed his eyes shut in response and shifted uncomfortably. Every single one of the man's actions felt revolting and invasive.

"You never feel like talking to me do you?" He heard the man say in a disappointed tone. He felt Jayce distancing himself from his face. The strong arms that immobilized him moved and Ekko felt his wrists being joined together and pinned firmly with one hand.

When he opened his eyes up again, panic filled his heart as he saw the man with the rope in hand.

Was he going to...?

"No! Please!" Ekko begged. His whole body turned cold and his face paled. He struggled against the iron grip, desperately trying to get himself free. He stared at the man, wide-eyed and terrified. "Please, don't!"

Not caring about what the boy was saying, the man quickly tied both of his wrists to each bedpost while he tried to resist with all his might. The teen tugged violently at the ropes but they were too tight. He desperately watched as Jayce's hand approached his pants.

"Please..." Ekko tried. But the man, smiling and with his eyes filled with lust, touched the teen's lips with his index finger and shushed him.

The young boy felt warm tears starting to form in his eyes. Was he really going to have to go through that horrific ordeal again?

It couldn't be...

"No..." He managed to say, weakly, as a single tear streamed down his face.

Delighted with the fear he had instilled in the young boy, Jayce decided to prolong the wait to torture him for longer. The teen was just so sexy when he was submissive and scared...

He got both hands under his shirt and went straight for his nipples. He started playing with them between his fingers, rubbing and tugging at them. Ekko's body contorted slightly at the unwelcome sensation and shortly after he had to suppress a moan by biting his lip.

Suddenly, there was the distinct sound of approaching footsteps in the hallway. Jayce looked at the door with a patient expression. Judging by his reaction, he must have been expecting whoever that was. Nevertheless, he got up, reached for his pocket, and took out a gun.

Ekko nervously looked at it. He should have known someone like Jayce would be armed, but it still creeped him out that he had been around him for so long with a hidden weapon.

The man leaned against the door with the gun in hand and waited for the footsteps to come to a stop. Once they did, he spoke. "Who's there?"

From the hallway, a voice responded. "You dog!" It was the voice of a man in a joking tone. "You gave me the keys and you're surprised I came in?"

"Never hurts to be sure." Jayce said, now more relaxed upon recognizing the voice. He hurried to unlock the door and opened it up.

In the hallway, there was a somewhat short and buff man with an abundant brown beard and mustache. He was wearing heavy clothing and thin smoke came out of the lit cigar he had in his mouth.

"Morning." The newcomer said to Jayce in a deep raspy voice. Once he stepped into the room, his eyes were immediately drawn to the boy a few meters away. He took a few steps forward as Ekko eyed him in a mixture of fear and uncertainty. "Morning to you too. Having a good stay?" He asked, chuckling meanly.

Jayce caught up to him and smiled at Ekko. "Oh yes, I should introduce you to him. After all, he knows who you are but you have no idea who he is. It's only fair."

The boy frowned as his heart raced. If this was just one more person to use his body like a toy and carelessly play with his feelings, he didn't care who the man was. He only wished he would go away. One abuser was already terrible enough...

But he knew he was out of luck.

"This is Graves. An old friend of mine. He and I go way back." The teen heard him explain. Had he said friend? He almost couldn't believe it. These people had friends? "He was the one who helped me capture you at the party. He was waiting on the outside and drove off as soon as you and I were in the car. Not very original, but effective. Needless to say, you were a very easy target. I basically suggested you isolate yourself and you fell right into our trap." He laughed.

Ekko felt sick hearing this. It had all been planned out meticulously and neither he nor anyone at the party had understood what was about to happen until it was too late. If these guys were so good at surprise attacks and infiltrating buildings, they must also be great at covering their tracks and at not leaving clues.

How would... How would the police ever track them down?...

Ekko took a deep breath, trying to keep calm. He observed carefully, as the new man, that was apparently named Graves, latched his eyes onto his body. He instinctively curled up against the head of the bed and his sudden action made the man laugh.

"He's had you for himself once already. I know he doesn't mind sharing." Graves started approaching the bedside and the poor boy only got increasingly nervous. He jolted as the man grabbed his ankle and pulled his body towards him.

One of the man's hands held his leg while the other found his thigh and groped through the fabric of his pants for a few moments. Then, it slowly moved to his waistline and swiftly got into his boxers.

Ekko gasped as he felt the man grab his member and beginning to rub it. "No! Stop!" He pleaded, horrified. He tried kicking the attacker away with his free leg, but he felt it immediately get pinned down. He turned his head and saw Jayce with his characteristic mean smile.

"Were you trying to hit my friend? Bad boy. Behave yourself." He joked.

Graves laughed and turned to Jayce. "He hasn't even gotten hard." He looked Ekko in the eyes. "What's the matter, kid? You're not liking this?" He asked, beginning to rub his member harder.

Ekko was unable to suppress a moan and his legs twitched. "No. I hate it." He managed to say, gritting his teeth.

This made Graves smile. "We're going to make you like it then." He proceeded to pull the boy's pants down and kept on rubbing.

He signaled Jayce to take care of the rest. He understood the message and while keeping the boy's leg immobilized with his own, he pulled his shirt up and grabbed his nipples. They kept on pleasuring him with satisfied smiles, ignoring the boy desperately begging them to stop.

Ekko couldn't prevent his moans. The two men were good at what they were doing. Ekko looked over at Graves and could verify that the man was delighted to see pre-cum be released from the tip of his manhood.

Ekko moaned softly and twisted his waist slightly.

The two men were dominating his body mercilessly, working to make him feel good against his will.

But this pleasure he was feeling all over his body...

He despised it with all his being.

It was completely unwanted.

An unwelcome feeling.

It made his body tremble and light up on fire, but it didn't feel good.

It just felt wrong.

Completely, utterly wrong.

And worst of all, he started getting hard off of it.

It got him confused and horrified.

Was he... Somehow enjoying this? Deep down?

No. He wasn't. He knew full well he wasn't.

So why?...

Why was his body betraying him?...

Suddenly the two men began making his torment even worse. Graves wrapped his mouth around his now erect member and started sucking it, while Jayce licked and rubbed his hardened nipples.

It was too much. The boy started panting heavily and letting out loud moans as an uncomfortable sensation took over his lower half. Droplets of sweat started dripping down his forehead.

"No. PLEASE!" He tried again. His wrists were sore from endlessly tugging at the bindings. "Stop! STOP! I can't take it!" But it was as if both his assailants were deaf.

Taking in the teen's body signs, the men smiled as they increased their speed and started groping him all over. Jayce's hands roamed his chest and neck while Graves fondled his legs. Ekko clenched his eyes shut. Waves of pleasure rushed through his body, as the sensation in his lower half got unbearable. Suddenly, he gasped and started trembling violently.

"Please, I can't...!"

Unable to finish, he screamed as he reached his climax. His whole body tensed and he tugged violently at the ropes as white droplets erupted from his hardened member. The boy was sweating and trembling as he panted heavily.

He opened up his eyes to sadly look at the monsters who had forced him into this.

What was supposed to be a great moment of pleasure for him to experience, had been transformed into torture.

He felt so... used.

Ashamed.

Violated.

He watched horrified as Graves wrapped his mouth around his manhood and let the cum squirt into his mouth. He took most of it and then, looking directly at the boy, he swallowed.

Ekko retched. The man was gross.

Graves just smiled meanly. He approached the boy's face and Ekko tried backing away, but there was no escape. The man gripped his chin and forced him to look him in the eyes. "What? You taste good. You should try it sometime." With that said, he forced the teen into a deep kiss as Ekko once again clenched his eyes shut. As expected, the man's breath reeked.

Jayce turned to his partner and smiled as a thought sparked inside his mind. "You know what? What a splendid idea!"

Graves let go of the boy for a moment. "What do you mean?"

"Why does he have to try it sometime? Let's make him experience it right now. Why wait?" The man said with a devious smile.

"You know what? You're right."

Ekko saw the exchange of glances between his two abusers. He got a lump in his throat and his body tensed. Whatever they were talking about, it couldn't be good. He flinched when both men approached him and started untying the ropes. He tried fighting back as soon as he was free but they quickly stopped him.

"Hey! Easy there champ. We just want you to have some fun." Said Jayce.

They made him sit upright and tied his hands behind his back. This made his heart race as his chest filled with fear.

"What... What are you gonna do?" He asked, unable to hide the nervousness in his voice.

"Shhh. Just be patient little one." Jayce whispered.

They dragged him to the floor, and forced him on his knees, facing the edge of the bed. The boy was filled with dread when Graves sat in front of him and unbuckled his pants. He now understood what they planned to do to him and panic took over. He started shaking his head wildly in pure disbelief.

"No... NO! You can't!" He screamed, struggling against the bindings.

The men just smiled and Graves grabbed his hair and pulled him in-between his legs with ease. The boy flinched and closed his eyes when he felt the foul smell of the man's penis and pubic hair. He tried resisting with all his might and Jayce forced his head down while laughing.

"C'mon kid, just open your pretty little mouth." Said Graves.

Ekko thrashed around in a pure panic, closing his mouth shut and refusing to obey his abusers.

They couldn't do this to him.

They couldn't.

Jayce started losing his patience. "Stay still and just open your damn mouth kid."

The boy shook his head violently once again.

The man wrapped his arms around his torso like a serpent and pinched his nipples with all his strength.

However, Ekko gritted his teeth and endured it. They weren't going to get what they wanted out of him.

"Ekko, open your mouth! " Jayce said angrily.

Graves was amused and just watched everything from above. "Why are you getting so worked up about this?" He said to his partner with a cunning smile. "Relax. It's easy to solve."

With that said, he leaned over to the child in front of him and grabbed his neck, strangling him.

Ekko's eyes shot open in panic when it became harder to breathe.

The man proceeded to use his other hand to pinch his nose and just waited patiently. "He's gonna have to breathe somehow."

"You're devious." Said Jayce with a wide smile.

"No. No. No... It can't be..." Ekko thought in anguish. He couldn't keep on holding his breath forever and his lungs screamed for oxygen. His limbs started losing strength and his eyes began getting bloodshot.

No. He couldn't keep this up.

It was shameful.

It hurt his pride immensely.

But he had...

He had to submit to them...

With tears forming in his eyes and a heavy heart, the boy finally opened his mouth to take a gigantic gasp of air. Seizing the opportunity, Graves stuck his cock deep inside the teen's mouth.

"See? It almost always works! When it doesn't, they just legit faint from refusing to breathe. Which is just as funny. It's a choice they have to make." He said, chortling. He let go of the boy's neck and nose and gripped his hair forcefully, keeping him in place.

Warm tears ran down Ekko's face like a river, as he struggled against the hands that held him down. The man started thrusting wildly into his throat and the boy began to gag. The hand tugging at his hair prevented him from turning away.

The teen jolted when he heard the sound of pants being unzipped behind him. He felt his pants and boxers being slid down the rest of the way and getting forcefully removed. Jayce spit into his hand, wrapped his arm around Ekko's chest to keep him from squirming, and proceeded to coat his insides with saliva. The boy's whole body tensed when the fingers penetrated him and he clenched his eyes shut.

He couldn't believe it.

These people were so animalistic that they were going to just use him from both sides?...

When Jayce was done lubing him up and stretching him, he lined up his member and carefully began to push. It slid in somewhat easily due to the prior preparation but Ekko still made a muffled sound of pain.

The child just kept on being rocked back and forth to the rhythm of the men's thrusts. Tears streamed down his face that had paled significantly. His moans of pain were covered by his abusers' groans of pleasure as they relentlessly violated his ass and mouth.

One of Jayce's hands roamed his body, pawing his upper half. The other one found the boy's member and began rubbing it, trying it for himself and attempting to force the kid to feel pleasure. At the same time, he looked for the sweet spot inside his ass.

Ekko trembled and cried in fear and agony. He panted from the unwanted pleasure and gagged on the rapist's penis.

He had never felt so used in his entire life, not even when Jayce had taken him on for the first time.

He was being brutally filled with no regard for his feelings. Rocked back and forth like a rag doll.

It made him feel like he was worth absolutely nothing...

For a long time, the pounding of skin against skin alternated with sobs of despair and animalistic grunts was all that could be heard inside the house.

It only came to a stop when both men were about to reach their climax. Jayce came inside the boy's ass while Graves pushed his cock even deeper into the boy's throat and spilled his seed. The boy gagged and coughed immensely. Some of it escaped his lips and dripped down his chin. When the man finally left his mouth, Ekko was disgusted and feeling terribly nauseous. He was desperate to spit the white substance out but Graves pulled his hair wildly and covered his mouth.

"Swallow it, kid." He said with a smile.

Ekko hung his head in shame.

He couldn't believe what he was being ordered to do.

But he didn't want to be hurt further.

He was tired.

So tired.

So he complied and with great difficulty and repulsion, he swallowed the man's semen. His abuser laughed as he saw him gag and retch. Tears of desperation escaped his eyes. The man roughly patted his wet cheek and said in a mocking tone "Good boy. Just like that. To make you stronger."

The teen shivered while Jayce untied his wrists. Once he was free, his legs felt so weak that he couldn't even hold himself on his knees. He lost balance, fell forward, and had to use both arms to break the fall. Now facing down, he could see his own tears dropping down and wetting the wooden floor. Just like he could feel the man's semen dripping from his abused behind...

"It was nice spending some time with you, Ekko." Graves sounded amused. "I look forward to doing it again soon!"

Ekko's heart throbbed from hearing these words. He just wanted them to never come back...

Jayce kneeled down in front of him, cupped his chin, and forced his head up. "What a handsome young face. Such beautiful eyes and a delicious mouth. You sure are fun to play with." He said, caressing his cheek with his thumb.

Ekko flinched and looked away. The man chuckled at his reaction and let him go.

"We'll bring you something to eat later since you were such a good boy."

He heard the men distancing themselves while laughing and leaving the room. He was finally alone.

His stomach turned and a wave of nausea took over. The boy retched and wondered if he would be able to stand on his weakened limbs. He used the edge of the bed to support himself and was able to get up. Everything hurt and each step made a stinging pain shoot through his lower half. He approached the wall and leaned against it so it would be easier for him to walk. With great difficulty, he made his way to the bathroom as fast as he could. Once he was near the toilet, he desperately dropped to his knees in front of it and vomited. Ekko wiped away some tears with the back of his hand but more ensued.

Why was this happening to him?

Why?

What had he ever done to deserve this?

Once he was finished, he flushed and let himself fall against the bathroom wall. He felt so incredibly tired. As if he hadn't slept at all. And he was aching as if someone had pierced his heart with an arrow. The tears kept on overflowing, blurring his sight and reddening his eyes.

The boy braced himself and pulled his knees to his chest, shivering and sobbing.

He desperately needed to bathe again. He felt so dirty. So dirty. But not now. Not yet.

He rubbed his arms for comfort, trying to calm his troubled heart. It beat wildly against his chest like a trapped bird throwing itself against the bars of its cage.

The fresh memories of the abuse left no room for anything else in his mind. He could only remember the disgusting smell of the man's genitals, their awful taste as he rammed into his mouth, the pain on his behind, and the shame he felt when he had to submit to his rapists.

Guilt clawed at his insides. The words of the man echoed inside his mind.

"You were a very easy target. I basically suggested that you isolate yourself and you fell right into our trap."

He was right.

How could he have been so stupid as to listen to a stranger at a random party when he was feeling sick?

A sob racked his body.

All that was happening was his fault.

His fault.

And his alone.

And as such, it was his sole responsibility to escape this place.

He had to find a way.

He didn't know how much more he could take...

"Who is going to tell his parents?"

Qiyana's words echoed in the room. For what seemed like an eternity, everyone was silent. Senna looked from Yasuo over to Akali and then back to Qiyana. Yasuo had furrowed his eyebrows like he was disappointed at something. Akali had guilt plastered all over her face. Qiyana's eyes were still downcast. Just like her, she also seemed not to know what to say.

Yasuo was the one to break the silence. "What do you mean? No one has told them yet?" He looked directly at Akali. "I thought you had called them."

The girl looked like she was about to jump out the window and her eyes darted everywhere nervously. "I didn't want to sound a false alarm in case it was some misunderstanding. They could suffer for nothing..."

"Akali, you are his legal guardian." The DJ was very serious. "It's your responsibility to take care of things like this. That couple NEEDS to know! It's their kid that's missing for goodness sake!"

Akali lowered her head in shame. "Yes... You're absolutely right. I'm sorry."

Senna intervened. "Please, don't be so harsh on Akali. One of us could have done it since we knew it was the right thing to do. Even you."

Yasuo's expression softened and his eyes shone with understanding and sadness.

"No, Senna." Said Akali. "He is right. I brought Ekko here. I agreed to and even signed a document to legally take care of him. It IS my duty. And I will honor it. Right now." She immediately stood up and took out her phone. She felt a hand hold hers.

"Don't you want me to make the call with you? It's not going to be an easy conversation." Kindly offered Senna.

Akali smiled and tightened the grip on her friend's hand to show her gratitude. "No, I'll be fine. Thank you." With that said, she left the room. She wanted to make the call in private. Having the others around, even if unintentionally judging her every move and every word made her chest tighten.

As she walked through the hallway, the butterflies in her stomach fluttered around, rapidly flapping their wings. She felt like she was carrying an invisible boulder on her shoulders. What was she supposed to say? How was one supposed to tell two parents that their only child was nowhere to be found and might have been kidnapped? She couldn't even fathom what they would feel like once they were told...

Upon arriving at her bedroom, Akali unlocked her phone. There, once again, was the picture of her and Ekko. His sweet eyes and smile haunted her.

Her eyes watered.

God. She missed him so much...

The girl took a deep breath to calm down and gain some courage. Then, she looked for the contact on the list and clicked the button to initiate the call. She held the phone up to her ear and waited. She clenched her fist and grit her teeth nervously as the ringing echoed continuously. It seemed like an entire year had passed when Inna finally answered with a joyful "Hello!"

Akali's stomach churned. "Good evening ma'am."

"Akali dear, it's so good that you called. How are you?"

"I'm good ma'am. How are things going over there?" She asked nervously.

"Oh, everything's fine, don't worry about us." Her voice brimmed with happiness. Akali's throat felt like it was made of sand. "And how's our boy? That little rascal hasn't called yet this week." Inna chuckled. Akali's heart beat wildly against her chest. "Can I please talk to him for a bit?"

"Ma'am I... Ekko... He... He can't come to the phone..." The girl stuttered.

On the other side, Inna's demeanor changed entirely. She could sense something was amiss. "Akali? Is something wrong?" She asked worriedly.

Droplets of sweat ran down the girl's face. Oh, goodness... She really didn't want to break this woman's heart. But she needed to know what was going on. And the sooner the better.

"That's why I called. Ma'am..." Akali sounded like she was about to cry. "He disappeared."

There was a long moment of silence before Inna spoke again. "What?" She said, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Ma'am, I'm so sorry..." Said Akali in panic.

"He... disappeared? Ekko disappeared? Our boy?" Her voice came off as if she were calm, but her chest felt incredibly tight as panic settled in. She was all cold inside. "But... But... what happened? When did it happen?"

Akali couldn't hold back her tears.

"It happened two days ago. We... were at a party at a friend's house. We were all having a good time. All of a sudden Ekko started feeling sleepy out of nowhere and we thought it was normal because it was very late. He went to sit down somewhere and rest and when I went looking for him... I couldn't find him. No one had any idea where he was. We've been searching for him everywhere around the city since then. But it's like he vanished into thin air..." Akali's chest hurt and her face was all wet. She started sobbing. "I promise we are doing all we can to find Ekko. We already went to the police and they will start their searches tomorrow. Ma'am... I am so so sorry about all this." The girl almost couldn't breathe at this point.

"Dear, please calm down. Breathe. I know you are doing all you can to find him, I wouldn't expect any less from you. You've always been a loyal friend." The woman's tone was sweet and understanding although filled with worry. "Don't... Don't you have any idea of what might have happened to my boy?"

Akali hesitated. Should she tell the woman her suspicions? It would make her worry even more. But at least she would be completely honest. Maybe... Maybe it was for the best... She didn't want to hide anything from his parents. She took a deep breath to ready herself.

"Well... no one knows what really happened." She was a bit calmer now. "But I was the one who last saw him and I do suspect of something and someone..."

"Who?" Inna interrupted her. "What is on your mind? Tell me everything."

"Please take it with a grain of salt... I don't know if it's actually true. No one does." She proceeded to dump all of the information about her suspicions. The woman listened carefully until she was finished.

"It does make sense. So you're saying that... you suspect that strange man... disappeared with my son?"

"Yes ma'am. There's only one problem with my theory. That man I suspect of is seen as a hero by everyone in the city. He is a police officer who has dedicated himself to helping others. The city was chaos a few years ago, overrun with crime and mafia, but it got much better, all thanks to him. It just... doesn't sound like someone who would kidnap a teenage boy. Or like someone with a good reason to do so..."

"It doesn't. But everyone has a dark side. You never know what you can expect from people. He might even be using his good reputation not to have anyone suspect him."

"Oh, ma'am! Finally, someone who gets me! Everyone else dismissed my theory because of his reputation."

"I just think you might be onto something." Said Inna. She paused for a brief moment and something occurred to her. When she spoke again, her voice was filled with panic. "Oh, dear...If Ekko really was kidnapped... Do you think that man will ask for ransom? What if we don't have the money!? What are we going to do?"

"It's ok. In that case, the band will help you pay. And my friends from KDA will help too. Together we will have enough money for sure."

"Bless you, my dear." She said. After some time, she asked "Akali? Do you think my boy is ok? Do you think they are hurting him? Do you think he's... still alive?" Her heart was beating so fast and her eyes watered.

Akali hesitated for a bit. She was trying to sound optimistic yet she also wanted to be realistic and honest. "I'm trying to convince myself that he is alive and well. Yasuo said that we need to think everything is fine otherwise we will desperate and we don't know anything for sure. We can't suffer in advance."

The woman sighed deeply. "Yes. That's true... Oh, Wyeth's here. Hi honey."

"Hi... is... is something wrong?" Akali heard him say in a worried tone. She could imagine his wife's sad expression had made him understand something bad had happened.

"I... I'll talk to you in a bit. Let me just finish this call." Akali heard her say. "Well, Akali, my dear, we'll catch the first train in the morning and be there as soon as we can."

"Ma'am...?" Asked the girl, confused.

"We want to help search for him. And help out in any way we can. It's our son we're talking about. We can't just sit idly by, doing nothing!"

"I... I understand." Said Akali sadly. If this was so hard for her, she couldn't imagine how hard it was being for his parents. "Ma'am?" She asked after a brief pause.

"Yes?"

"I'm... I'm so sorry. For everything. I feel so responsible. I spent the whole night with Ekko at the party. And when I took my eyes off of him for a bit, was when all this happened." She could feel tears running down her face once again. "He wasn't feeling well... I should have stuck with him. This... this was my fault. This was all my fault..."

"Akali dear, please don't say that! You may be his legal guardian, but you aren't his babysitter. You don't have to keep your eye on him at every second, he's a grown boy. No one can know these things are going to happen. You're not to blame for anything." Inna said sweetly. "All that matters now is how much you are doing to find him. You should have called earlier, but I understand how difficult it is to have this conversation. But you ended up telling us anyway and we really appreciate your concern."

Akali made a small smile amidst her tears. "Yes... Thank you, ma'am. I'll do all I can for you and your son. I promise." Even though she couldn't see it, Inna also smiled hearing this. "At what time will you be arriving tomorrow?"

The woman took a look at her worried and slightly puzzled husband who was standing in the middle of the kitchen, a few meters behind her. "Hm... Let's see. Around... eight? But why?"

"Eight. All right. I'll go get you at the station by car. Have a safe trip, both of you. See you tomorrow!"

The woman knew Akali's offer wasn't up for discussion, so she simply complied. "Ok my dear, it's a deal. Thank you so much. See you tomorrow!"

Akali hung up. Inna lowered her phone slowly.

"Inna? You were talking about Ekko. What happened?" She heard her husband gravely ask from behind her. When she turned to face him, her eyes were shining with tears.

"Honey... our boy... our boy disappeared..." Her heart sunk when she spoke those words. She saw Wyeth's eyes widening and his mouth dropping in disbelief and shock.

"No... It can't be..." He uttered sadly. His legs began feeling weak, so he had to sit down. "Not our boy... Not our Ekko..."

"Akali said he was kidnapped." She said with her eyes downcast. "They were at a party and she suspects that a man spiked his drink."

"Ekko was... Drugged?" The man rested his forehead on his hand as tears began to fall down his face. This was too much to take in at once. Too much. "He is only a boy. What... What kind of monster would do this?"

"Wyeth, honey..." Inna hurried to his side and embraced him. Tears of her own started streaming down her face. She couldn't see her husband cry. "It'll be ok. We'll find our boy. Ekko will be fine."

The poor man was completely silent. Warm tears kept on falling down. His chest felt tight and he had lost all strength on his limbs. His heart had shrunk. He was hurting so much he couldn't speak.

Their boy had been taken from them.


	8. Uncovering the Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Sorry that I took so long to update! I wasn't very inspired lately.  
> As always, I hope you like it! Please keep on leaving some comments because I love to read them! ❤️

The sun had not yet risen. It was a chilly morning and the cold seeped in through the small cracks on the wooden walls.

Victim of another abuse, Ekko was silently sitting on the edge of the bed.

He had been fed and given something to drink not too long ago, but he almost didn't feel the taste of the food. Not like he had been given much anyway. 

The teen was hunched over as if the entire world rested upon his shoulders, his head was lowered and his eyes were closed. The bags he carried under them were a clear sign that he had barely slept. The boy had bathed and put his clothes back on, but one could still easily notice, even through the fabric, that his muscles were hardened, almost like bricks and trembled slightly. Hours had passed since he had been attacked, but his intimate parts were still sore and his jaws hurt from his mouth being forcibly kept open for such a long time. His thoughts were stuck on the memories of the horrific abuses he had to endure until now. The prospect of what the men could be planning to do to him in the future filled his whole being to the brim with dread. Just remembering the violent way they used him as if he were an object and not a human being, how they had the courage to keep on hurting him despite being desperately begged to stop. The way they gripped his face violently and forced him to look them in the eyes, when all he wanted was to hide it in shame. Those moments made him think of Akali and of how sweetly and gently she would grab his chin when she wanted his attention.

He missed her kind touch.

He missed Akali.

He missed his family.

He missed Yasuo, Qiyana and Senna.

He missed all of them...

The boy let out a whimper and his eyes watered.

He... He wanted to go home...

Suddenly, Ekko jolted when he heard the door being unlocked. He froze as he heard the man step into the room. His breathing became faster as his heart raced. He didn't even dare move as he heard Jayce approaching him.

"Hello my little one." The man greeted in a sweet yet lustful tone.

Ekko flinched when he felt one arm wrap around his torso from behind. Panic rose to his throat. The man kissed the side of his neck and his cheek as he tried fighting his way out of his grip.

But, to his surprise, Jayce let him go. 

He looked up at the man, that was now standing by his side, in a mixture of confusion and fear.

"Just wanted to let you know I'm leaving for work."

With his heart racing at miles per second, the boy wasn't entirely convinced. He only now noticed Jayce was carrying a stack of magazines under his arm which he proceeded to put down on the bed beside him.

"I brought you these so you have something to do while I'm gone." The man explained. "No need to thank me!"

Ekko frowned as the man leaned forward to kiss him once again. He felt the back of his head being grabbed to prevent him from turning away and their lips briefly touched.

"Even though I'm aware these don't exactly make up for the sweet time we spend together." He said, smiling, while pretending like he didn't see the two eyes glaring at him like two embers. 

He bid the teen goodbye and left the room. Ekko observed silently as the door closed and then turned to the pile of magazines by his side. He picked one up and absentmindedly flipped through it. When he picked up the second one, he stopped dead in his tracks. Ekko's eyes widened in horror when he saw the cover of the third magazine.

It was a gigantic picture of Jayce that covered the entire page with big bold white letters that read: "Officer Jayce, the hero we need but don't deserve."

The boy's heart skipped a beat.

Hero?

Jayce... a hero?

What hero?

Ekko's shock rapidly turned into anger as he picked up the magazine, glared at the front page for a few seconds and then threw it onto the floor with violence.

He had almost forgotten what Akali had told him. The city owed Jayce a lot. He was a hard working police officer who had changed everyone's lives for the better. He was their savior.

These people... were idolizing a monster...

If they knew all the evils that shiny smile was hiding...

Just the prospect of the man being given praises and being gazed upon with admiration while he was secretly keeping a teenager imprisoned and raping him... 

And if he was doing this to him, who knows if many others hadn't suffered the same fate?

Anger prickled under his skin.

The boy raised his head and straightened himself as his eyes burned with determination. He had to get out of here. He had to get away from these men and let the world know Jayce's true colors!

He needed a plan, but first, he should study his surroundings. Suddenly as if nature had decided to help him, he heard a gentle tip-tap on the window. It had begun to rain. Ekko watched the dirt that covered the glass slowly be washed away as the world outside became more visible.

He was in... a forest?

Taken over by surprise, the teen got up and approached the window. The house was apparently situated in a clearing and his room was high on the second floor. There was only tall trees surrounding the house, forming a wall of sorts, obscuring his vision. However, none of them was even remotely close to his window.

Ekko spent the next half an hour studying the room and the surrounding environment looking for a way to escape or for some kind of fail in this place's security. But just like when it came to everything else, Jayce knew what he was doing. The vines that were growing on the outside of that old house had been cut. There was no way for him to support himself on anything in order to climb down. Making a rope with the bed sheets crossed his mind, but it wouldn't even be remotely long enough to reach the ground. And the windows were completely shut.

He was trapped.

But he couldn't stay here.

He couldn't...

The boy stared at the door. In his eyes, it was simultaneously the entrance of the devils and the gateway to salvation.

He sighed deeply.

That sturdy wooden door was his one and only way out.

.............................................

It was pouring. The lightning lit up the sky and the thunder roared. The two women contemplated the gigantic mansion as they slowly approached it and Caitlyn stopped the car.

"This place is huge. These girls sure dream big, eh cupcake?" Officer Vi commented with her partner.

"Concentrate, Vi." Said Caitlyn in her usual emotionless tone. "We're here to investigate. Not to admire the scenery."

"Just wanted to lift your spirits up a little." The woman's expression was sympathetic. "You've been down in the dumps since yesterday, don't think I didn't realize."

Caitlyn sighed.

Vi furrowed her eyebrows. "Cupcake, you're always acting like nothing affects you and it works for almost everyone." Her tone was sympathetic. "But you can't fool me. I know that the girl accusing Jayce got into your mind. But it isn't possible Cait. Jayce would never do something like that..."

"Please... we have time to deal with that later. Let's focus on the task at hand."

It was Vi's turn to let out a sigh. However, she made an effort to give a smile to her friend "You're the boss, cupcake."

Caitlyn hurried to park the car, opened the door and got out without uttering a word. She retrieved a large umbrella from the back seat and used it to cover herself and Vi while she got a suitcase out of the trunk. The two officers made their way to the big entrance gate. Kai'sa was waiting for them there. "Hey Caitlyn. Hey Vi." She greeted.

"What's up?" Asked Vi.

"Good morning Kai'sa." Said Caitlyn politely. She quickly showed her badge and Vi did the same. "I trust that you were expecting us to pay you a visit."

"Oh, no. I just like hanging out by the gate when it rains. It's really fun!" She joked. Smiling she added "Why else would I be here?" 

"Of course. I trust you've already been informed of everything." The officer's tone was as professional as ever. "We would like to initiate the investigation right away."

Kai'sa nodded. "Right this way."

The girl led them to the inside of the mansion and straight to the entrance of the gigantic room in which the party had been held. They had been careful not to touch anything so as to make the investigation as easy as possible for the police. "I think everything is just the way it was on the night of the party."

Steps were suddenly heard as they were approached by three girls.

"Ah, officers, let me introduce you to my friends. This is Ahri, Evelynn..." Said Kai'sa as she pointed her open palm at each of the girls "And this is Akali. She is also close friends with Ekko. She was the last person who had contact with him."

Vi gave them a warm smile. "I'm Vi and she's Caitlyn. Just call us by our names. It's what everyone does."

"Charmed." Quickly said Caitlyn as if she were bored to meet all of them. She took a second to adjust her sunglasses and Akali's eyes widened.

"Incredible. It's just like Qiyana and Senna said. It's storming outside and she's wearing sunglasses. And she seems really cold and distant. What a weird woman." The girl thought.

"So? Where and when exactly did you see your friend for the last time?"

Akali was taken by surprise by how direct Caitlyn was. "Oh... well, it was around 4 a.m. He went to sit somewhere and I never saw him again. And we sat over there earlier that night." Akali affirmed, pointing the spot.

"There." Said Akali looking at the four seats surrounding the coffee table. "I was sitting there across from Kai'sa and Ekko was facing officer Jayce."

The two women got some rubber gloves out of the suitcase and silently put them on. Caitlyn also picked up a camera. The girls stayed in the hallway while the two officers entered the room.

"Hm... So this would be Ekko's glass, yes?" Asked Caitlyn as she picked it up and observed it carefully. She put it back down and took a quick photo of the table and its contents. Then, she proceeded to insert the glass inside a small plastic bag and then the suitcase. "We'll take it so the forensic analysts can look for any evidence of drugs." She looked at Akali. "We'll see if the evidence backs up your claim of a potencial kidnapping."

"Hm... Caitlyn?" Akali tried getting her attention. "Officer Jayce handed Ekko his glass after he brought the drinks. Just thought it could be important..."

"I'll keep it in mind." She took another look at the table and noticed something odd. "All the glasses they used seem to have been left here except for Jayce's..." She thought. "Why would he go leave his glass elsewhere? It could be a natural move but it could also be deliberate..." A part of her completely refused to believe her friend could have done anything. The more logical part of her, however, feared the worst... 

Vi was carefully looking around. Upon noticing one of the video cameras in the corner, she turned to the girls. "The video surveillance system probably caught something. We'll need access to it. Where's the control room?"

"I'll take you there. Follow me." Said Kai'sa.

Vi took a flash drive out of the suitcase "If you need anything call me."

"Of course. Go ahead. I'll handle it here."

Vi followed Kai'sa downstairs and they were gone for a very long time. Caitlyn investigated the room for hours without stop. The K/DA girls had gone over to another living room to take a seat and wait out the results, but Akali constantly went back to the room entrance to see how the investigation was going. She saw that Caitlyn had retrieved a magnifying glass and was looking at everything up close. She had also taken out other materials from the suitcase and was very concentrated on her work. The girl nervously rubbed her tense arms and sighed deeply. Ahri and Eve had decided to follow her this time and noticed her discomfort. With sympathy, they each put a hand on their friend's shoulders. The girl was surprised but thankful. It made her smile a little.

"Aw, darling. Don't worry. The police will find a lead." Said Ahri sweetly.

Caitlyn heard this and raised an eyebrow. "I'm not by any means trying to upset you, but I'm not finding much here."

Akali's heart sank, but the officer immediately added "I'm sure Vi will find something with the security footage. The cameras don't lie."

.............................................

"You didn't find... almost anything?" Asked Caitlyn a few hours later to her partner who was as perplexed as she was.

"No... All I saw that was even a bit incriminating was Jayce following Ekko into the hallway when he left the room." Vi was frowning deeply. "I don't like this, Cait. Even if I wanted to check Jayce out of the suspects list, he was the only person who was acting strangely. Throughout the night, he did seem to be taking quite an interest in the boy. In the recordings he was always looking in Ekko's direction."

"You really didn't see... anything else that was suspicious?..." Caitlyn's heart was beating rapidly inside her chest, but her face didn't express any emotion.

"No. It was just a normal party with people dancing and having fun. The only people that got close to Ekko that night were his friends, the party hosts, a few fans and Jayce. But to be fair, aside from always having his eyes on the boy, he didn't do anything on camera that proves he has anything to do with Ekko's disappearance."

Caitlyn rubbed her chin in deep thought. "Did you check the hallway cameras?"

Vi shook her head slightly. "There are no cameras on that side of the house. Kai'sa said that since it's just a lonely hallway, they thought it wouldn't be needed. And there are no cameras in the bathrooms for obvious reasons."

"Of course. Bummer..." Said Caitlyn.

"I don't even understand why they have separate bathrooms. Must be just to show off or something..."

The two women were having this conversation near the K/DA girls and they overheard what Vi said. They took it as a rude statement, whereas the officer had deliberately been loud in order to get an immediate response. "It was Eve's idea." Ahri readily answered the question somewhat annoyed. "She said it would be cool to have separate bathrooms since this is the area of the house in which we host our parties. It's more organized and the bathrooms get less crowded. She always thinks big, isn't that right Eve?" She asked, turning to her friend.

Kai'sa raised an eyebrow. "Eve?" Now that Ahri had shifted their attention over to Evelynn, she noticed that her friend seemed...off. Her whole body was visibly tense. She seemed to have found interest on her own two feet because she had her eyes fixated on them. The girl didn't even seem to be hearing them. 

"Eve!?" Called out Ahri, worriedly, while shaking her. It worked. Evelynn woke up from her trance-like state and looked at her friends, confused. "Are you ok Eve? You were so tense and out of it. That's not like you at all! Is everything all right?"

The girl looked around at the pairs of eyes set on her. When she met the officers' gaze, she stood still for a few seconds and then inhaled deeply. Her whole demeanor suddenly changed. "Caitlyn, Vi, I have a confession to make. There's something I know about that can help the case. But I'm going to get in trouble for it." She revealed frankly and directly.

Her friends' eyes widened as the officers' narrowed. "We're listening." Said Caitlyn.

"There is in fact a camera in the men's bathroom. I set it up myself. One of the mirrors is a one-way mirror and the camera is hidden behind it."

Kai'sa's mouth was agape. "What!? But... Why didn't you tell us?"

Evelynn chuckled. "You're all such goodie-two-shoes that you would tell me to not do it because it's illegal or something. And I have my... Hobbies. I need to be sure you know? No woman likes to seduce a guy only to find out they have it small." She now sounded amused. "The camera is linked to a small TV in my bedroom. I needed privacy and couldn't have anyone find out." 

The girls were shocked with her bluntness. "So... So that's where you disappear to during parties... And when we see you again, you're all over some guy." Said Ahri.

"Yep." Simply said Evelynn. Akali stared at her in disbelief and seemed conflicted. "But Eve... Ekko comes to your parties too. He's a kid... You don't...?"

Eve rolled her eyes. "Oh please, Akali. I'm not a pedo. He's like the only underage person we invite over. Hasn't any of you realised that I spend my time smoking in the hallway just observing the party instead of going up to my room whenever he's around? I may be ruthless, but I have some decency."

"This is some quite interesting information." Commented Caitlyn, raising an eyebrow. "This will indeed get you in a lot of trouble. Setting up a hidden camera in an area that is specifically going to be used by guests without their knowledge for sexual purposes can get you up to three years in prison."

Evelynn sighed and lowered her eyes." I know what's at stake... It was hard to confess, but I had to tell you. That camera might have caught something important and I wasn't going to keep this information from the police just to save my sorry ass. Ekko might be in serious danger and he's a good kid. I would hate myself if something happened to him while I was hiding crucial information that could have helped with finding him."

"Aw Eve..." Whispered Akali gratefully but also sadly. It would break her heart if she truly ended up in prison. Especially after she had been so noble in her approach to Ekko's case. The others shared the same opinion as they eyed her sorrowfully.

"Very well then." Said Vi. "I trust you will allow us to view that recording?"

"Yep. No objections. I'll go get it for you. You can watch it in the security room downstairs." Said Evelynn while getting up. She rapidly left the room.

Caitlyn looked at her partner. "Since she allows us to view this content, there are no legal problems. It's a mandatory procedure."

.............................................

"Have you found anything yet?" Asked Caitlyn to Vi while entering the security room. For legal purposes, no one else was allowed inside.

Vi was sitting in front of the screens and smiled. "Cupcake, I've been watching this for ten minutes. Nothing has happened yet."

Caitlyn adjusted her sunglasses. "Only ten minutes? Seemed for quite longer than that..."

Vi tilted her head to the side in understanding. "You're still worried about Jayce having something to do with this whole thing. That's keeping you anxious." She said simply.

Caitlyn sighed deeply and rubbed her temples with visible discomfort. "Yes... You did say he was acting suspiciously during the whole party. It only made me feel worse..."

Vi frowned. "You'll see, cupcake. He won't have anything to do with this. I'm sure he won't."

"I sure hope you're right." Caitlyn could have chosen to take a seat, but she was way too nervous to stay still and remained standing up.

The next thirty minutes were uneventful. Vi rested her head on her hand while she looked at the screen in boredom. Cait impatiently tapped her foot. For what seemed like forever, no one came in or out of the bathroom. But suddenly, Vi's eyes widened. "Look! That's him! Ekko came in."

Cait's focus on the screen immediately doubled as she furrowed her eyebrows. The teen was holding his head in his hand and he stumbled when he approached the sink. "It's like he has a very painful headache. Or like he was..."

"Drugged...?" Finished Vi, taking her eyes off the screen for a moment to look at her partner. Even with the sunglasses on, she could see the tension building up in Caitlyn's face. It only worsened when the door opened and they both saw Jayce come in. Vi could almost hear the palpitations of her friend's heart as they got increasingly faster.

"Please Jayce..." Vi heard Cait whisper in a desperate tone.

Her chest also tightened as she turned back to the screen. Jayce was displaying some strange behavior, seemingly looking around the bathroom stalls to make sure no one was around. He then turned to the kid who was slowly losing his strength. All of a sudden, Ekko started falling backwards and Jayce readily caught him. But it wasn't as if he saved him from falling down out of nowhere. His movements and body language suggested that he was expecting that to happen and was ready to act.

Then, the strangest thing of all unfolded. Vi's eyes widened as she observed Jayce get very close to the boy's unconscious body. Their noses almost touched as he caressed his face and then enveloped him in his arms. It felt... Weird and almost sexual.

"What the hell?" Vi thought.

Some time later, Jayce answered his phone and proceeded to carry Ekko over to the window. He rapidly got him through it to someone who was waiting on the outside and that was hidden from view. Then, as if nothing had happened, he left the bathroom.

The two officers were frozen in place. The shock had rendered them speechless. The seconds dragged on for millenia as their minds tried to make sense of the nonsensical. Vi was the first to recover. She slowly looked at her partner whose face was as white as a sheet of paper.

"Cait?" She called out to her. Caitlyn's mouth was closed, unmoving. She couldn't find anything to say. When two tears streamed down her face, that was Vi's queue to get up. "Cait!" She called out again worriedly. She walked up to her and carefully removed her sunglasses to reveal two wide-eyed mortified eyes. She put them down and embraced Caitlyn warmly. The poor woman didn't even hug back. She just rested her head on her friend's shoulder trying to regain her strength.

"Vi..." She stuttered. "He... This can't be..."

"Cait, I'm so sorry..." Whispered Vi, trying to calm her down as tears also welled up in her eyes.

Jayce.

Their best friend Jayce.

How could this be?

How could he have done this...?

And most importantly...

Why?


	9. Doubt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Another part is finally out! I hope you are all safe in your homes. Maybe my story can even help some of you pass the time.  
> Please keep on giving feedback. I love it.

"We really appreciate you going to get us at the station. You didn't need to. We could have just taken a taxi." Said Inna from the back seat.

Yasuo looked at the woman through the rearview mirror and gave her a small smile. "No need to thank me." He said simply. Akali had had to leave for the K/DA mansion early and had asked him if he could go get the couple in her place. He had plans to keep on working on his latest project, as he was very close to finishing it, but he just couldn't say no. He knew Akali would be needed at the crime scene.

Between the frazzled hair and the bags under her eyes, Inna looked as if she had aged twenty years overnight. But the characteristic smile still adorned her lips. She admired the skyscrapers and buildings that rapidly passed by outside her window with child-like wonder. They cast shadows on the other cars and passersby that went in all directions in a frenzy. Not even the less than welcoming weather seemed to rob the place or its people of their energy.

"Such a big city. Everyone seems so busy. Don't you think so, dear?" She commented with her husband in an attempt to start a conversation. She turned her head to look in his direction. Her smile faded. Wyeth was ruefully resting his head on his hand as he looked outside, while the rain gently fell down. His expression was vacant as his eyes stared into nothingness. "Wyeth, honey?" She called out to him.

The man jolted softly as if he was waking from a dream and shot a surprised look in his wife's direction. "Sorry, what is it?"

Inna's expression changed from slight worry to a small warm smile. "I said that this city sure is something. What do you think of it?"

"Hm... The city... Yeah. It has tall buildings... And lots of people running around. It's nice." He stammered in a tone almost devoid of emotion. He stopped, surprised, when he felt a hand warmly cover his. He looked up at his wife who was giving him a reassuring smile.

"Hey, it's going to be all right." Her voice was sweet like honey and her eyes shone with understanding.

The worry left Wyeth's face and the tension on his muscles abated. He wrapped his hand around his wife's in a gesture of gratitude and smiled thinly.

"We're here." Announced Yasuo from the front seat. The couple turned to look at the modern building that got closer and closer.

"It's just the way we saw it in the pictures Ekko sent us..." Thought Inna with mixed feelings. She felt genuine happiness for finally entering her son's home, but was also sad because he wouldn't be the one to show it to them.

Yasuo pulled over, got the couple's luggage out of the trunk and lead them to the front door. "I'm home!" He shouted upon entering. "The guests are here!"

A few seconds later, from the hallway, Senna and Lucian emerged to greet them.

"Hello! Be very welcome." Said Senna. There was an exchange of hand shakes and she was ready to introduce herself when Inna put her hand up and told her to wait.

"Our son told us all about you. Let me see if I get your names right. That young man who went to get us at the station is Yasuo, you're Senna and that's your husband Lucian."

Looking at the youngsters' surprised faces, Wyeth chuckled. "Inna has a knack for remembering names and faces. She rarely gets them wrong."

"That's an extraordinary gift." Commented Lucian, trying to be pleasing. But Inna, dismissed his compliment with a shaking of her head.

"It's nothing much, really. Ekko always talked so much about you that I had to remember at least your names."

Yasuo smirked and didn't resist saying "He said good things only, I hope!?"

Wyeth made a sad smile. Senna caught a glimpse of his eyes and they were filled with a profound hurt. "Yes. Our boy always chose good friends." He said lowering his head. "He always did..."

This made Senna frown. All the occupants of the house felt the same way: None of them really considered themselves a "good friend" for Ekko at the moment. He had been taken away right under their noses. The most logical part of her knew, there was nothing they could have done. But the other side of her couldn't help but feel guilt. "We're so sorry that you're going through this..." She said in a sorrowful tone. "We were responsible for your son. I'm... so sorry we allowed this to happen."

This completely changed the tone of the conversation. The tension in the room had doubled in just a few seconds. Inna shifted uncomfortably, but still made an effort to smile. "Oh dear, Akali said the same thing. You don't have to feel responsible, it wasn't your fault. We are well-aware of that."

"We will help you search once more. Later today." Promised Senna.

Lucian took notice of the rising anxiety levels in the room and decided to intervene. "May I suggest that we take a seat? We can go to the living room." What these parents needed was some moments of peace of mind in their company, not more stress.

The couple gladly accepted the young man's offer and followed him. Yasuo turned in the direction of the stairs and told them he would join them later, as he had work to do.

The living room's lighting was gloomy despite the curtains being open. The dark clouds did not allow the brightness of the sun to shine through, making the world below appear much darker, as the rain was violently swept by the wind. Wyeth and Inna took a seat on the chaise longue that Qiyana absolutely loved and Lucian and Senna sat on a comfy white sofa perpendicular to them. The couple looked around at the stylish room and Wyeth took notice of a guitar that had been forgotten on a nearby chair. "Is that... The guitar you gave Ekko?" He asked out of curiosity, in an attempt to break the ice.

In that moment, all the eyes in the room were drawn to the instrument. "Yes. A few weeks ago. He said he loved it." Said Senna.

Inna stood up and walked over to it to have a better look. "It's a fine guitar. Our boy always wanted to learn an instrument." She picked it up carefully and brought it with her so her husband could also examine it from up-close.

"Yeah, he's pretty good with it already." Commented Senna with a smile. "He always picks things up so fast. So we thought it would be the perfect gift for him."

Suddenly, the girl jolted slightly, gasped, and her eyes widened. "I completely forgot about it!" She exclaimed as she snapped her fingers. 

Lucian was staring at her, confused at the sudden display of behavior. "Senna, are you ok?" He asked worriedly.

"Excuse me, I'll be right back." She said, getting up and quickly leaving the room. Lucian was puzzled, but he looked in the guest's direction and shrugged. Inna shrugged back, as she also hadn't understood anything.

The mystery didn't persist for long though. Senna came back shortly after, carrying a small box wrapped in a shiny purple paper.

"Sorry." She said apologetically. "With all that happened recently, I didn't even remember this anymore." Lucian observed as she sat down beside him and handed him the small box. "Here! Open it!"

Inna and Wyeth watched in silence as Lucian accepted the mysterious box. "A gift? For me?" He asked with a smirk. "You shouldn't have..."

Senna rolled her eyes. "Don't start. Just open it."

Lucian smiled at his wife for a few seconds before turning his attention to the small box and starting to unwrap it.

"I went to get you this on the day of the party... Before all this happened. Just because I wanted to." Senna said, with her eyes shining. "I hope you like it."

Lucian was done with removing the wrapping paper and proceeded to lift the lid up. Inside the small box, there was a fancy golden and black lighter that glinted in the dim light of the room. His mouth dropped slightly as he picked up the small object. "Senna, it's beautiful. But I don't smoke."

"It's never too late to start, you know?" She provoked, witilly.

"When did you become a bad influence?" Joked Lucian, not missing a beat.

"Maybe I picked it up from you." Senna readily answered. She chuckled and added "I'm just kidding. You'll see. It can come in handy. A lighter has way more uses than just lighting up cigarettes."

"Such as?" He asked, genuinely curious, as, at the moment, he couldn't think of anything off the top of his head.

Senna raised one eyebrow and simply challenged him. "Up to you to find out."

"Young love..." Wyeth commented with a small smile as he listened to the conversation. He looked at his wife. "They kind of remind me of us when we were their age."

Inna nodded and smiled at him. However, she caught a glimpse of her son's guitar and verified that no one was paying attention to her. Her fake happiness completely faded. She carefully gripped the head stock and squeezed it firmly between her fingers. "Don't worry, sweetie. We'll find you." The woman said to herself as she frowned with determination.

.............................................

"Thank you for your time." Said Vi, adopting Caitlyn's professional tone. Her partner was by her side, in complete silence, with the sunglasses back on. She looked as unaffected as ever, but the dark lens covered her red-rimmed eyes.

They currently found themselves in the entrance hall of the mansion and were about to leave.

"So, my suspicions were right all along. I knew it was Jayce!" Exclaimed Akali with conviction. "I just knew it..."

Instinctively, Vi shot a killer stare in her direction and clenched her fist. When Akali's eyebrows raised in surprise and confusion, she forced herself to calm down. She took a deep breath and her hand relaxed.

Ahri took a step forward. "So if officer Jayce really is guilty... how are you going to catch him? Do you have any idea where he might be at the moment?"

"He should be at the police station. And if not, at home, in his apartment." Quickly answered Vi.

"That... would make sense..." Stuttered Ahri.

"We don't have time to lose. If there is nothing else you need to tell us, we should be on our way." Said Vi.

No one had any objections, so the two cops bid them goodbye and silently exited through the front door. The rain had gotten lighter and it was now gently falling on the umbrella, open over the two women's heads. Vi walked slowly in silence and sometimes glanced at Caitlyn whose head was lowered as she dragged her feet across the ground.

"Hey Cait." Said Vi sweetly, putting one arm over her shoulders. "You ok?"

Caitlyn distractedly stared at the suitcase in her hand for a few moments before answering. "I'll be fine once we're over with this..."

Vi gave her a sad look that quickly turned to anger. Her body got visibly tense and she clenched her fist as her emotions overwhelmed her. "Jayce... I want to kill him! Just when you think you know someone..." She spat bitterly.

Caitlyn quickly looked up and stared wide-eyed at her partner. "Vi! Jayce is... Jayce is our friend..."

Vi furrowed her eyebrows and grit her teeth. "No. He WAS our friend. Or at least I thought he was! I don't want to have anything to do with a child kidnapper. And neither should you." She said darkly, her words like venom.

"Vi...!" Tried Caitlyn, unsurely.

"Cait!" Vi interrupted, her tone increasing in volume as the anger built up inside her. "Do you REALLY want to associate yourself with someone who drugged an innocent kid and took him away from his loved ones? To do heavens-know-what to him???"

Caitlyn suddenly stopped walking and was silent for a few moments. Her chest ached and her hands trembled as she said "I just don't want to believe it..."

"What we found is hard evidence. There is no denying what he did." Said Vi, unwavering.

Caitlyn sighed and resumed walking. "You're really... Just going to abandon him?" She almost whispered.

"Cait. HE abandoned us the moment he decided to do this." Vi said coldly. But when she looked at her partner once again, all she could see were the tears that threatened to fall and her heavy expression.

At last they got to the car. Caitlyn somberly grabbed the door handle and gently pulled it, but a hand suddenly covered hers. Surprised, she looked up and saw that Vi was giving her a gentle smile. "I'll drive. You're in no condition."

Caitlyn didn't speak and didn't object, but her eyes shone with gratitude. She gave her partner the car keys and quicky put the suitcase in the trunk before taking her place in the passenger's seat. Beside her, Vi roughly turned the keys and the engine roared loudly. She was still visibly fuming and it felt like the intensity of her gaze could cut through solid metal.

"Jayce is going to have a lot of explaining to do." She said simply and proceeded to turn the wheel.

Caitlyn sighed and took a last look at the mansion they were leaving behind.

.............................................

She could already see the Police Station in the distance and her throat tightened. She looked unsurely at Vi who was giving the building a hateful glare. The two women were both in silence as they approached the sidewalk.

Vi hurried to park the car, yanked the keys from the ignition and stormed out of the vehicle with a determined expression. Caitlyn observed her partner, as she rapidly marched to the building's entrance, before opening the door and stepping outside herself.

Vi had a destination to get to and didn't stop for anything. Maintaining her rapid pace, she ignored the colleagues who greeted her, leaving them shooting confused looks in her direction. She almost collided with half a dozen people who glared daggers at her and protested. She would have tore two doors off the hinges if they weren't so sturdy and she nearly knocked a plant over before finally reaching Jayce's office. 

The girl didn't stop in her tracks. She didn't hesitate. She simply grabbed the knob and swung the door open. Her eyes immediately focused the man who was sitting at his desk doing some paperwork. His first reaction was giving an annoyed look at whoever had stormed into his office without knocking. But upon noticing it was her, his expression seemed to soften, although lightly.

"Vi? What is it?" 

She looked at him directly in the eyes and her expression darkened. "Jayce, you're under arrest."

His jaw dropped. "WHAT?" He asked, seemingly shocked. "But why? I didn't do anything!?"

His reaction made Vi's blood boil in her veins. She lost it and charged in his direction, violently slamming down her fists on the desk in front of him. The sudden action made Jayce jump in his seat.

"HOW DARE YOU ACT LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED?" She shouted at the top of her lungs, letting out her frustration.

Jayce didn't back down though. "What do you mean? WHAT happened?"

Vi couldn't believe this. "Are you seriously denying that you drugged and kidnapped Ekko last Friday?"

She watched as Jayce's eyes widened and he stood up. "WHAT? I did what to who?"

Vi made a sly smile. "You weren't expecting anyone to find out, were you? There was a hidden camera, Jayce. And it recorded EVERYTHING."

"Just WHAT are you talking about?" Asked the man once again. He looked behind Vi and verified that Caitlyn was at the door. She silently stepped inside the office, closing the door behind her.

"Caitlyn? Has Vi gone mad?" He asked her. "Can you help me explain to her that I didn't do anything?"

Cait removed her sunglasses to reveal a deeply hurt look in her eyes. "Jayce... I... I can't believe you still refuse to confess..."

The man took a step back. "You... You too Caitlyn? Have the two of you become crazy?"

"The only crazy one here is you!" Spat Vi, pointing her index finger at his chest accusingly. "Kidnapping sixteen year olds at parties and then having the nerve to deny it! Despite having been caught in the act!"

"Vi." He said, looking her in the eyes. "I don't even understand what's going on. But whatever you're accusing me of, I DIDN'T do it!"

Exasperated, Vi turned around and gave Caitlyn a "can you believe this?" look. Getting her attention back on the man, she said. "OK. Fine. We'll watch that recording together and I want to see you deny this once again in our face."

Jayce's expression was unwavering and he was giving Vi a harsh glare. "Follow me." She said, turning around and exiting through the door. Caitlyn saw Jayce give her an arrogant look before leaving after Vi. She followed them.

On her way to the Audiovisual Room, she couldn't ignore the absolutely terrible feeling growing inside her.

She hated this.

She had watched the recording. She knew Jayce had done something terrible.

But he... He was her friend. At least she still considered him one.

She was incapable of turning against someone who she had been so close to, up until that moment...

Upon arriving, Caitlyn verified that Jayce was beside Vi, in front of the screen. She noticed that even though he had that flair of unshakable confidence that was characteristic of him, there was a glint of nervousness. His body looked a bit more tense than usual and he eyed the pen drive Vi was inserting into the port with uncertainty.

Eventually, the recording was played. Jayce eyed everything with apparent confusion. And when he saw himself on screen, his jaw dropped. His expression was undignified. 

"What? That's... That's not me!" He stuttered, his eyes wide like a full moon. "I swear that ISN'T me!"

Vi gave Jayce a cruel stare throughout the whole scene. By the end of it, she spoke. "I never expected this from you Jayce, of all people. But why? Why did you do this?"

The harsh words started getting to him and he only became increasingly nervous. He looked back and forth at his two friends. "Guys, please! That is NOT me in the recording. I didn't do anything! I was never near that kid in my life!"

"You still refuse to admit your crime with undeniable proof in front of our faces." Said Vi. "You know full well that only makes everything worse for you."

"I cannot confess a crime I did not commit." He said. "Plain and simple."

Vi shook her head in disapproval and took a step forward. "Unbelievable... Well, whether you confess it or not, we have enough evidence. Follow me to the Interview Room without offering any resistance. I believe the use of force won't be needed, or I'll personally take care of it." She threatened, clenching her fist.

Jayce glared at her, but obeyed. He walked in front of Vi, as she told him his rights. She knew the words by heart. And so did Jayce, but he was forced to listen to the whole speech, as it was a mandatory procedure. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in court. You have the right to talk to a lawyer for advice before we ask you any questions. You have the right to have a lawyer with you during questioning..."

As she watched them leave, Caitlyn was at war within herself. "I guess people aren't always what they seem." She thought. But these words made her heart skip a beat inside her chest.

.............................................

The Interview Room was small and well lit. There was the traditional table with two chairs facing each other and two windows. Caitlyn was sitting across from Jayce and Vi was standing beside her like some sort of bodyguard.

"Jayce." Started Caitlyn, taking off her sunglasses. "You have been accused of drugging and kidnapping Ekko, a sixteen year old teenager, last Friday. I would like to know what exactly..."

"Wait, Caitlyn. Can I go first?" Vi interrupted her.

She looked at her with surprise in her eyes, but didn't object. She was used to Vi's bluntness. "Of course, go right ahead."

Vi didn't waste any time. She walked up to Jayce and there suddenly was a loud sound of something cracking and a yelp of pain. It was so sudden that Caitlyn couldn't understand what was happening until she saw the man bleeding from his lips. Then, it finally hit her. Vi had punched him right in the face. Her features were adorned with a smile of satisfaction as she looked down upon him.

"You know what I always say: Punch first. Ask questions while punching!" She stated, more to herself than to the other two that were present in the room.

"VI!? WHAT THE HELL?" Complained Jayce as the blood ran down his chin and dropped on the transparent table top. He was covering his mouth gently, desperately trying to stop the bleeding.

"That's for kidnapping a damn innocent child you asshole!" Vi exclaimed accusingly. She then turned around and returned to her partner's side. "That made me feel better. Thank you Cait. You can interrogate him now."

Caitlyn's expression was unreadable. It was somewhere between disappointment, shock and already knowing that she should have expected it, coming from Vi. "You know that I'm going to have to suspend you for this. This behavior is unacceptable."

"Yeah, I know." Said Vi, crossing her arms, completely at ease. "My fist was itching. I had to do it. You know I can't control myself."

Caitlyn gave her a bored expression and turned to Jayce who was still trying to get the bleeding to cease. Just to be cordial with him, she handed him a paper tissue and patiently waited until he was ready to speak again. Then, she reached to a compartment under the table and retrieved a picture.

"I'm sure you recognize him!?" Questioned Caitlyn, pushing the picture over to Jayce. "This is Ekko, the teenager you are being accused of drugging and kidnapping."

The man studied the picture, which was the ripped front cover of a magazine, for a few seconds. "Yes, I do know him. Would be hard not to. He's on TV all the time."

"You're saying that you only know him from TV?"

"Affirmative."

"That is not what the recording shows." Said Caitlyn furrowing her eyebrows. She sighed. "Jayce, where is the kid? What did you do to him?"

"I already told you I was never near him in my life!" He stated with a little bit of difficulty, as his lower lip was starting to swell. "Vi, Cait. You actually don't believe me? You think me capable of hurting a kid?"

He looked sad and Caitlyn felt genuinely bad for him. Vi was unwavering. Her stare, cold and unforgiving.

"I thought you knew me better than this." He lamented with a deep frown. "I thought we were friends."

His words penetrated Cait's heart and she started feeling genuinely uncomfortable and doubtful. However, they didn't have the same effect on her partner. Vi's eyes widened, her pupils contracted dangerously and she took a threatening step forward. Her fist was painfully clenched. "Are you trying to guilt trip us?"

It was Jayce's turn to widen his eyes. The man shrunk in his chair. "What? No!" Vi looked like a killer ready to strike.

Caitlyn raised her arm. "Vi, enough!" She said authoritatively before her friend lost it again. It was enough to stop her in her tracks. "Wait for me outside!"

Vi looked at Caitlyn with annoyance plastered all over her face. Even still, she turned around ruefully and headed for the door. She never disrespected Caitlyn's authority.

Now alone with Jayce, the young officer turned to face him. "Look... You ARE my friend. I don't want to believe you did this! But there is clear evidence that you were responsible for Ekko's disappearence. We can't just ignore a literal recording showcasing the kidnapping taking place!"

"I'll say it again and I know you won't believe me: That's NOT me in the video. Last Friday I went home early because I had a very unpleasant headache. I went to bed at around 10 and woke up at 7:30. I was sleeping soundly when that camera was supposedly catching me!"

"I do remember you saying you weren't feeling well..." Caitlyn said, thinking deeply for a few seconds. "But it could be that you went home in order to get everything ready and head to the party..."

"Caitlyn please... I don't know who took the kid! That man the camera recorded isn't me!"

Caitlyn stared at him right in the eyes and tried to find some small physical evidence that he could be lying. But his wide open eyes and intense gaze seemed so genuine... She didn't know what to think.

" Jayce I'll... I'll look into this. I'll investigate further. I know you. I don't really believe that you would hurt someone, much less a kid." 

Jayce's eyes seemed to light up with hope. "So you believe me?"

"I can't ignore the evidence. But I also want to believe you. I want to give you a chance..."

"Oh, Caitlyn thank you." He said in a seemingly grateful tone. "I knew I could count on you..."

Caitlyn sighed and gave him a sad smile. She didn't know what the outcome of the further investigation would be. But she was determined to at least try and make an effort for her friend's sake.


	10. Digging Deeper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! People have been asking so much for an update that I worked extra hard to bring you this chapter. I hope you like it!
> 
> This chapter has depictions of violence. Read to your own discretion.
> 
> Please keep on leaving comments :) You know I absolutely love them ❤️

"Have you heard about it? That Jayce is responsible for a crime?" Said an officer to her partner.

"What?" He inquired, eyes wide open and almost spilling his coffee. "Is that true?"

Even though Caitlyn tried to keep it under wraps, she couldn't hide Jayce's arrest from her own colleagues. He had been taken into a cell to be kept under surveillance and the news spread like wild fire.

"I never thought this would be possible coming from Jayce. Can you believe it?"

Caitlyn would hear these whispers wherever she would go. Some officers would even ask her directly if it was all real or just rumors. And even if it hurt her, she couldn't lie to them. In the matter of a day, everyone knew.

In order to escape the curious voices that surrounded and overwhelmed her, she retired to her office. She was surprised to find out that Vi was there, looking through some files. After all, she wasn't supposed to still be around at all.

"Hey, cupcake!" Greeted Vi interrupting her reading for a bit to look at her friend. "I was just taking a look through Jayce's files. He's got quite an impressive record. And yeah, everyone knows that. But one thing is to casually hear about it, another is to read about it in detail! Did you know that he arrested a guy who has no fingerprints? Crazy, right?"

Caitlyn made a bored expression, looking over her sunglasses. Vi was displaying the pure satisfaction she always felt whenever she got to punch someone. "Distracting me won't work. You're still suspended. You're going to have to leave."

"I'm not trying to distract you. I don't care!" The girl said with a sassy smile.

Caitlyn's eyes rolled behind the dark lens. She then extended her arm and demanded "Badge."

It was Vi's turn to roll her eyes with a naughty expression on her face. She handed over the shiny object without a care in the world. "I don't regret anything. He was asking for it."

Caitlyn didn't like the casual tone her friend was using and furrowed her eyebrows. "Vi, we've talked about this. You have to control yourself."

"Yes, mommy. I promise I'll behave." She joked.

"This is serious!" Exclaimed Caitlyn taking a step forward. "This was your sixth suspension. If I weren't your boss, you probably wouldn't even have a job anymore!"

"But luckily, you ARE my boss." Vi winked and smirked at her partner. "So I have nothing to worry about."

Caitlyn's jaw dropped at how irresponsible she was being. "Vi!..." She tried. But her friend was already almost at the door. She quickly raised her hand to bid her goodbye. "Well, I'm respecting your wishes and heading out. If you need me, you know where to find me! Have a nice week, Cupcake!" Vi winked and closed the door behind her.

Exasperated, Caitlyn sighed deeply and shook her head in disapproval. However, a thin smile rapidly formed on her lips. "What am I going to do with her?" She whispered to herself.

The young officer sat down at her desk and looked down at the files about Jayce that Vi had been browsing through. Caitlyn rubbed her chin in deep thought. She was ready to take on this investigation to find out whether Jayce was as innocent as he claimed or not. But... Where to start....?

She had appointed interviews with Akali and Kai'sa at half past ten. She was really looking forward to it. She hoped to learn more about Jayce's behavior at the party from the people who had interacted with him the most that night.

Making the most of her time while she waited, Caitlyn decided to follow Vi's example and read Jayce's personal files in search of some kind of evidence, hidden in his past. He had claimed again and again that he was innocent. There was a slim chance that someone had orchestrated all this to frame him. He had plenty of enemies, so it wasn't completely out of question. She just didn't understand one thing: Jayce had said that the man in the recording wasn't him. It was an almost unbelievable claim. But if it were true... how could someone manage to look exactly like her friend?

This was all so confusing...

An hour flew by. Caitlyn was so lost in her reading that when she looked at the time, she was already fourteen minutes late for the interview. "Oh goodness!" She jumped from the chair, dropped the papers on her desk and headed directly to the Interview Room.

Kai'sa was already waiting for her there, since an officer had allowed her in.

"Good morning, Caitlyn!" Greeted Kai'sa. "We arrived bright and early. Just like you asked. Akali came as well, she's waiting outside."

"Good morning. I'm sorry I'm late." Caitlyn excused herself while taking a seat in front of her. "Well, let's start, shall we? I asked you to come because I would like to know more about Jayce's behavior on the night of the party."

Tapping with her index finger on her lips for a few seconds, Kai'sa considered what she would say before answering. "Very well, I was with Jayce for almost the entire time. He arrived late, hours after the party had already started, at around 3 a.m. He had told me earlier that he probably wouldn't show up because he had a terrible headache. So it was a surprise." Said Kai'sa.

Caitlyn's eyes widened a little bit behind the dark lens. "That's actually something that he also told me. He left work earlier that day because he claimed his head was killing him."

"I thought that maybe he was just feeling better. One of the first things he asked me was if he could meet the members of True Damage. Because he said he's a fan. I took him to meet all of them. But now that I think about it, he did seem a bit bored the whole time. He only seemed actually interested when he finally got to meet Akali and Ekko."

"Interesting..." Whispered Caitlyn while jotting down some notes on a notepad she had retrieved from the compartment under the table. "Please proceed."

"Well, there isn't much more I can tell you. Jayce went to fetch us some drinks, we made a toast to True Damage's success and then I went to do my own thing. I only saw Jayce later on when he said he had to go. It did seem like he was in a bit of a hurry, but I thought it could be cop stuff, you know?"

Caitlyn nodded. "At what time did he leave the party?"

Kai'sa furrowed her eyebrows as she tried to recall it. "Hm... I don't know if it's right, but, a little past 4 a.m?"

Caitlyn frowned deeply. "That coincides with the time at which Ekko was kidnapped. I guess things are starting to come together."

"Hm... Yeah." Said Kai'sa. Her expression shifted from being in deep thought to slight worry. "I'm sorry, but this is all I have for you..."

"That's all right." Said Caitlyn. "I'm sure Akali will have some more details to share. That will be all..."

"Wait, Caitlyn. Before we finish, can I ask you a question?" Kai'sa interrupted her. "It may sound strange but I really wanted to know something."

Caitlyn furrowed her eyebrows. "Of course, go ahead."

"Why didn't you and Vi come to the party? You were the only people who didn't show up and didn't give an explanation." Kai'sa inquired, genuinely curious.

Caitlyn flinched from the surprise and her eyes widened. "I beg your pardon?" Her expression rapidly changed as she scowled and gave the girl a harsh stare over the glasses. "I don't mean to offend, but I think those matters aren't that urgent to be discussed at a time like this."

"You're right, I'm sorry. I've been meaning to ask you since the day of the party but all this happened and I forgot completely."

Caitlyn frowned deeply. "But either way, I don't know what you are talking about. I didn't receive any invitation or heard anything about the event."

Kai'sa's mouth dropped slightly. "But... You didn't receive it? Neither did Vi? But you had to have gotten it. I left it in your mail box!"

Caitlyn was clearly lost, so Kai'sa explained. "I like going around and leaving the invitations for our parties the old fashioned way. Of course I only do it with people who don't live super far away. The rest of them, I send by e-mail. People call me weird, including my friends back home, but it's something I always did when I was little. It's a part of my childhood that I'm trying to keep alive..."

Suddenly realizing Caitlyn's lack of interest, the girl stopped with her story." I'm sorry. I got carried away. I'm wasting your time..."

The officer arched her eyebrows. "No, it's fine." She said, even though Kai'sa knew it obviously wasn't. "But I don't know how I didn't get that invitation then. If you personally put it in my mail box."

"Maybe it got mixed up with other papers?" Suggested Kai'sa.

"No, that is out of question. I always double check every paper I get so I don't miss anything important."

"It's very strange..." Said Kai'sa in deep thought. 

"Yes, indeed." Rapidly said Caitlyn. "Is there anything else you have to tell me that pertains to the case?"

"No. Like I said before, that's all the information I have."

"Well, thank you for sharing it. Please ask someone to tell Akali to come in." Caitlyn said calmly, trying to mask her impatience.

Kai'sa left the room with a simple "have a nice day" and her band mate turned up not even a minute after.

"I remember Ekko pointing out that Jayce was looking at the two of us quite a lot." Said Akali. "And when he came over he was super red and sweating and really focused on Ekko. We just brushed it off as something natural. Fans sometimes have some weird reactions when they meet us. I only thought he was excited and nervous."

Caitlyn hummed, signaling that she was listening attentively.

"Kai'sa offered to get us some drinks but Jayce insisted that he would go get them. He said it isn't every day that one gets to serve drinks to international stars. And that it was his way of thanking Kai'sa for inviting him to the party. We didn't see anything wrong with that, so we accepted." She commented. "He took almost no time at all coming back with the drinks."

Akali paused for a few moments and immediately resumed her telling of the events that had transpired that fateful night.

"He put down the tray and handed Ekko his glass before grabbing his. We all made a toast and drank. And then like, a minute after, Ahri came to us, super excited. Turns out, the fans had requested a performance by our band and we couldn't refuse. Everything seemed fine. Ekko rapped and danced normally. But at the end he was anything but ok." Akali's voice started sounding sadder by the second. "He was holding his head in his hand and started saying that he felt sleepy. I got worried, of course, and asked if he wanted me to stay with him, but he refused. He went to sit on one of the couches and I got surrounded by fans. That was the last time I saw him..."

The girl needed a little bit of time to collect herself and control her emotions. Caitlyn noticed this and just sat there without uttering a word, patiently waiting.

After a short time, Akali was ready to speak again. 

"Ahri actually said that she saw Jayce talking to Ekko when he was sitting alone on the couch. But she didn't pay attention to it."

"So the kidnapping must have taken place not long after this you're describing me." Said Caitlyn furrowing her eyebrows in thought. "Is this all the information you have for me?"

"I'm afraid so." Said Akali. "Nothing out of the ordinary happened that night until we noticed Ekko was missing."

"I see..." Said Caitlyn somewhat disappointed by the lack of clues. Maybe she could try interviewing the bartender... "Very well, thank you for your time and the information you provided."

"Anything to help with the investigation." Said the girl with a very serious expression while getting up.

Right before stepping outside the room, Akali stopped. She hesitated for a brief moment and clenched her fist. Then, she turned around and made a plea. Her eyes were shining with worry. "Please, Caitlyn, find him... Bring my best friend back..."  
She then exited without uttering another word.

.............................................

Back in her office, Caitlyn quietly sat down at her desk. She removed her sunglasses and set them down while picking up the notes she had taken during the interview. As she studied them, she frowned deeply. The information they had provided did almost nothing to help her make progress. And she was running out of resources. The officer rubbed her temples in exasperation as she tried thinking of a way to push the investigation forward.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door that made her deviate from her thoughts. "Come in." She quickly said, in her usual emotionless tone.

The door slowly opened to reveal a tall girl in a lab coat. She took a careful step inside."Good morning, Caitlyn. I'm not interrupting, am I?"

"No, not at all."Caitlyn assured her. "What brings you here?"

"I have the results of the analysis you requested. Of the glass you brought me yesterday."

"Yes?" Questioned Caitlyn bending herself slightly forward over the desk. "What did you find out?"

"This was... Ekko's glass. Yes, that is his name. I found evidence of GHB in the remains of the drink. He was indeed drugged."

Caitlyn's heart skipped a beat inside her chest. "Like we suspected..." She whispered. "What about fingerprints on the outer surface?"

"That is a bit puzzling." Said the girl arching her eyebrows. "Jayce has been accused of drugging him, isn't it? But his fingerprints aren't on the glass. There's only the boy's and the bartender's."

Caitlyn furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "What do you mean his fingerprints aren't showing?"

"It's true. There is no evidence. Maybe he was wearing gloves."

"From what I saw in the recordings, he wasn't wearing any." Said Caitlyn. "And according to witnesses he personally handed the glass over to the victim."

"Hm... It is indeed quite bizarre. How does a person pick up a glass, bare handed without leaving fingerprints? We must be missing something here..." Said the girl. "Well, I must go back to the lab. I still have work to do. Good luck with your investigation, Caitlyn."

"Thank you." Said Caitlyn as she watched her colleague leave. Once she found herself alone, she got up and started pacing back and forth. "No fingerprints... How can it be?" She whispered to herself, feeling lost.

"Maybe if Vi were here we could figure out something together..." She considered for a moment. But she immediately regained her composure. "Calm down, Caitlyn." She said to herself. "Focus. This problem has no logical solution, right? Let's try thinking outside the box..."

She walked over to the window and distractedly took a look outside. "Very well... What options do I have? He either had gloves on, which he didn't, so that's not it. The only other way... Is if he had no fingerprints at all..."

Wait a minute...

"Did you know that he arrested a guy who has no fingerprints? Crazy, right?" Vi's cheerful voice echoed inside her mind.

The sudden realization hit Caitlyn like lightning. She snapped her neck in the direction of Jayce's files, grabbed them and started frantically browsing through them. Once she found what she was looking for, her eyes widened.

"Viktor..." She whispered. "Sex: Male. Age: unknown. Additional information: Suffered an accident during his arrest which resulted in the deformity of his face..." Her mouth dropped in pure shock. Her heart was racing. Everything seemed to be falling into place. She read further down the page.

"Convicted of..." This was when her blood froze in her veins. "... Pedophilia, child pornography, kidnapping, sexual assault and rape of young boys..."

Oh no...

Feeling all cold inside, the girl's eyes instinctively darted to the photo of Ekko that had been given to her by his friends. "Heavens... If this is actually true... The poor kid..." She sadly thought to herself, her heart filling with compassion for him.

It seemed like she was on the right track as things were aligning perfectly. But she wasn't sure of anything yet. She needed solid proof. And she required more certainty on the evidence she had gathered.

First of all, she went to meet with a colleague who was a Forensic Fingerprints Expert.

"Adermatogliphya, also known as a lack of fingerprints is a genetic alteration of unknown origins. It's extremely, but extremely rare. Only a few living people on the Planet have it." He explained to her. "I'd say around fifteen to twenty people."

Caitlyn's jaw dropped. "That few?"

"Yes." He proceeded. "And almost every single one is female. There must be two to three males that were born with it. I guess that really narrows down your suspect list."

"It does indeed." Said Caitlyn.

"The catch is that these people are practically invisible to the police and investigators. With no fingerprints, there isn't a database on them."

"It's like they don't even exist..."

"Exactly." He concluded before resuming his work.

Distancing herself from the Lab, Caitlyn carefully analyzed the data she had managed to gather so far. So this "Viktor" was one of the few people alive with that kind of genetic alteration. That greatly reduced the chance of it being anyone else.

The next thing she decided to do was speak to the one person who could maybe give her more insight on who Viktor was. With a determined expression, Caitlyn strode to the nearest door and went through it. She hurried to cross a long mildly lit hallway with rows of cells on each side. Her eyes examined each one she passed by and got back many curious looks. She came to a halt when she spotted a familiar figure in a corner. Jayce was sitting down and held his head in his hand. His half closed eyes and furrowed eyebrows communicated a deep annoyance with this whole situation.

"Jayce?" She called out to him.

When he heard her voice, he raised his eyes. "Caitlyn?" He rose up and started walking to the bars. "What can I help you with? Have... have you found something?" His eyes emoted uncertainty but in them there was also a gleam of hope.

"Well... yes. But it isn't enough to prove anything in regards to you yet. I need more. And I'm in need of your help. What can you tell me about a man named Viktor?"

Jayce frowned heavily and looked extremely bothered. "Is this Viktor you're talking about a criminal?" He wished to know.

"Yes. That is the one." Caitlyn confirmed.

Jayce's expression darkened even more. "Yes, I remember him... But hell! I wish I didn't." He complained. "He was one of my hardest cases ever. He would attack and disappear without a trace. Took me almost two years to catch him. The bastard was raping children... Makes me sick to think about it."

"I read that something happened during his arrest and his face was disfigured?"

Jayce thought for a few seconds before delivering. "Well... That's not exactly a pleasant memory." He admitted. "We had finally been able to track him down. He got into his car when he realized we were onto him and we chased after him. When we were close to the university one of my colleagues got a good shot at one the tires and he was forced to stop. In a last attempt, the guy jumped through an open window of one of the classrooms. I was the fastest so I followed him."

Caitlyn listened attentively to him with her eyes wide open.

"I didn't know if he was armed or not. I was afraid he could hurt one of the students. But that didn't happen, fortunately. He was quite fast but I caught up to him when we reached one of the labs." This was when Jayce's expression shifted from anger to genuine discomfort. "I got tricked. He was hiding and grabbed me from behind when I went through the door. He was squeezing my neck really hard. I tried reaching for my gun but he was ridiculously strong and tried to take it from me. It ended up escaping us and sliding away."

Caitlyn took a step forward and grabbed one of the bars as she listened. "And then what?"

"Then that's when it happened. I was running out of air. I tried my best to fight back and we ended up collapsing against a lab bench. He pushed me against it and kept on strangling me. I was in panic so I grabbed the first thing that I could and threw it at him. I didn't even see what it was." Jayce paused for a few seconds." He let me go immediately. And started letting out blood curdling screams. His face was melting or burning or whatever it was. It was horrifying..."

Jayce flinched and clenched his eyes shut. "I must have grabbed some kind of corrosive acid of sorts. I didn't feel the slightest bit of pity for that monster. But I can still hear those screams to this day..."

Caitlyn reached through the bars and squeezed his arm gently to show some support. He seemed to appreciate it. "After this there isn't much to say. My colleagues arrived almost immediately and we arrested him. I didn't face any disciplinary actions because what I did was in legitimate self-defense. As far as I'm concerned he's still in prison to this day."

Caitlyn was caught off guard by this statement. "What? Are you sure?"

"Positive." Declared Jayce without a hint of doubt in his voice. "Why? Do you think Viktor might have something to do with all this?"

Caitlyn nodded. "He was my prime suspect. But now I don't know what to think..."

The girl cupped her chin and thought for a few moments. Then she turned around and started heading back to the exit.

"Hey. What are you going to do?" Asked Jayce.

Caitlyn took half a turn and looked back at him. "Thank you for the information, Jayce. Now I'm going to take my own conclusions."

.............................................

"Well... I'm here." Caitlyn thought to herself while observing the concrete walls of the prison. She would never admit it to anyone, maybe except Jayce or Vi: But the tall massive walls and the darkness of the hallways in these places always creeped her out. The narrowness of everything made her feel like she would run out of air.

And thinking of that, she suddenly realized that she had stopped breathing. She instinctively raised a hand and touched her throat. Caitlyn took a deep breath to keep herself together. She was on a mission and irrational thoughts couldn't distract her.

"Focus." She told herself before taking a step forward. She entered the building and found herself in a room with half a dozen guards. She told them who she was, showed her badge and asked them to take her to the prison warden. They didn't waste time and within a few minutes she was face to face with the person in charge.

The prison warden examined Caitlyn from top to bottom with his eyes while she explained him her situation. "Well, yes, he is one of our inmates, Chief Caitlyn. He has been here for around six years."

Caitlyn listened attentively. "I see..." She pondered for a moment. "I would like to interview him. I'm working on a case and I need to investigate further. You see, he is my primary suspect."

The man looked at the guard by his side in surprise and back to Caitlyn. "Chief, I'm sorry to tell you, but you must have the wrong man in mind. This Viktor you speak of has never gotten out of prison. He's in his cell right now, like he's always been."

Caitlyn furrowed her eyebrows in a gesture of impatience. "Yes, I believe your claim, but I still want to talk to him."

The man's eyebrows arched and his lips parted slightly. He seemed ready to speak, but no sound whatsoever came out of his mouth. He closed it again, blinked several times and simply said "Very well then. You may interview him." He turned around and signaled two of his subordinates. "Bring the inmate from cell 16 to the Interview Room."

The two guards nodded and quickly left the room. The warden turned to Caitlyn. "I warn you of one thing. The reason why I'm hesitant is because you won't be able to do exactly what you wish. This man you want to talk to became a mute and blind about a year and a half ago."

The girl's eyes widened with shock. "Wait, what?" Information such as this completely destroyed the theories she had crafted in her mind.

"He built up a really bad reputation in here from the first day and made more enemies than I can count." He explained. "A year and a half ago there was a security breach. Someone infiltrated the building without anyone noticing, heavens know how, and opened all the cells to force an escape. It was utter chaos..."

The man paused for a little bit before continuing "Viktor was kept in a cell alone so there wouldn't be trouble with the other inmates. But with all the cells open, it was only a matter of time before many went after him. Apparently they had access to lighters. His vocal cords, eyes and fingertips were badly damaged. He was beaten and left between life and death."

"I see..." Said Caitlyn appearing unaffected by what she was hearing when in reality she was horrified.

"We have records that tell us that the week before this all happened many knives and other sharp objects were confiscated from the inmates. It makes us believe that it was all meticulously planned and someone had tried to get weapons in here to facilitate the escape. However, the lighters passed by unnoticed." Said the warden. "Needless to say, we were able to take control of the situation and actually no one escaped."

"No one?" Asked Caitlyn, disbelieving.

"There were no records of it. We never caught whoever was responsible for this attempt, though."

Suddenly the subordinate came back into the room. "The inmate is in the Interview Room. Accompany me, Chief."

Caitlyn thanked both of them for the information and followed the guard.

The Interview Room wasn't much different from the one back at the Police Station, just the lighting was darker.

Viktor was sitting at the table, handcuffed, with two guards by each side. Caitlyn saw that he was wearing a mask and it was easy to understand why. It should be horrific and unpleasant to look at his burnt face. She slowly took the seat in front of him.

"Well, Chief." Said one of the guards. "A Tactile Sign Language Expert is on her way. Then you will be able to ask all you need."

Caitlyn nodded and looked at Viktor. Her eyes got fixated on his burnt fingertips. Something felt... Odd. "I would like to examine his hands." She said.

The guards found this weird, but didn't ask questions. They gave her rubber gloves that she rapidly put on. The girl gently held one of his hands with her own and examined the back carefully. Then, she turned the palm up. Upon close inspection, her jaw dropped and she stood up in shock.

This man had fingerprints. They had grown back after being burned off.

She raised her head and looked the surprised guards in the eyes. "This isn't Viktor. You've been tricked. The real one was born with no fingerprints..."

The two men were staring at her, wide-eyed, mouths agape.

"The real Viktor is out there." Caitlyn said ominously.


	11. Answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This is part 11 :) A minor character is introduced here. I think I did a decent job portraying them. I hope you like it and leave a comment. 💗

After the past rainy days, the sun was finally shining over the city that afternoon. The golden light was entering through the windows of Vi's home and illuminating every room.

"So... You think this Viktor guy is the one responsible for kidnapping Ekko?" Vi was sprawled on her couch, comfortably reclining against a pillow. She listened attentively to Cait who was standing up next to her television.

"Affirmative." Caitlyn readily answered.

"And you thought of all this because of a little something I said?" Vi smirked, satisfied with herself.

Caitlyn crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Yes..."

"Oh Cupcake... I'm honored to have been such a great help to you. Hey... Maybe I could be an even greater help if I joined you! You love having me around!" Vi exclaimed, smiling wide.

Caitlyn knew exactly where this was going and raised an eyebrow. "I'm not going to lift your suspension early. Don't even think about it."

Vi frowned. "Awww... But Cait! There's nothing to do here!"

Caitlyn looked around her friend's spacious living room. To her left, she could see the books catching dust on the shelf, the canvas covered with an old cloth. To her right, there was the punching bag left forgotten in the corner, the computer on the desk and the TV that was turned off beside her. "I see plenty to do in here." She said. She then turned to her friend and smirked. "I only see someone too lazy to do any of it."

Vi looked around for a moment. She inquired ironically "What would you know? You know me way too well, Cupcake."

"Yes, I'm aware." Then she added. "And so does Jayce."

Vi's eyes widened briefly. She blinked and looked down as if she had found interest in her own lap. "So... You're really convinced that Jayce has nothing to do with this?"

Caitlyn didn't answer for a few moments and walked up to the window. "Yes... I'm more convinced than ever before."

After a long minute of silence, Vi spoke again. "I really screwed up, didn't I?"

Surprised, Caitlyn turned around to look at her friend whose expression was of pure disappointment at herself. "Well... Yes. But Jayce will forgive you. He knows how... Impulsive you are." She said with a smile.

Vi clenched her fist and observed it for a few moments. "I still feel bad about it." She said.

Caitlyn answered with a smile. "You know? Apologizing to him is always a good start."

"I'll think about it." Vi joked. She decided to turn on the television just to have background noise. But what was on the screen made her eyes widen briefly.

Caitlyn took notice of her friend's expression and turned around. "It's about the kid! Raise the volume, please."

Vi obeyed and the voice of the anchor took over the room in a crescendo.

"...past Friday, the young star Ekko, the lead rapper for the band "True Damage" went missing. He was attending a party at the K/DA mansion with his friends from the band. What seemed like an uneventful evening culminated in the boy disappearing without a trace. There is a possibility that a kidnapping might have taken place. There are no more details pertaining to this case as of now, as the other members of the band refuse to give interviews. The police is still investigating..."

Vi listened to the man speak with a deeply worried look on her face. "Cait... If your suspicions are true... Heavens have mercy on that boy..."

Caitlyn's expression was extremely heavy. "I have to get back to work. No time to lose." 

Vi nodded but seemed apprehensive. "Do you even know what you're going to do next? You even said it yourself: you're out of leads to follow."

Caitlyn picked up her sunglasses from the coffee table where she had left them and clasped them in her hand. "That's true... But I have to do something! Ekko's life is potentially at risk..."

Vi looked down in deep thought for a few moments. "Hm... Are you sure you investigated the crime scene from top to bottom?"

Caitlyn was taken aback by her friend's comment. "Yes. Absolutely."

Vi frowned. "Are you sure, Cupcake? You weren't exactly super focused that day..."

Caitlyn's eyebrows furrowed and she rubbed her chin as she contemplated the possibility that something could have escaped her. "Well... You do have a point. I guess I could go back and take another look..."

Vi smiled thinly. "You honestly have nothing to lose."

"Yes... You're right. Thank you, Vi." She said heading for the door. Once she got her hand on the handle, she heard Vi speak again.

"You sure you don't want me to tag along? Don't get me wrong, you're doing a great job by yourself, but... you know.... this guy you're after sounds completely crazy."

Caitlyn smiled upon noticing her partner trying to mask the worry in her voice and turned around to face her. "Thanks for worrying about me. But I've got this. I promise that I'll call if I need you."

Vi looked more at ease. "You know I always got your back, Cupcake."

Caitlyn gave her a big smile of gratitude, opened the door and left.

Now alone, Vi stayed still, staring at the ceiling for a long time. She thought about how the things between her and Jayce would be. If he would be mad at her and hurt for her lack of trust in him.

But the thing is... She had never lost her faith in him completely.

Her anger had stemmed from not understanding why. Why he would ruin his own life to mess with the life of an innocent. And that anger had made her act on impulse. Like it always did.

Vi sighed. She decided to get up and walked up to the shelf where, other than the books, there were a few photos for decoration. One of the frames was lying face down on the smooth wooden surface.

Vi picked it up and looked at the picture. She was in it, beside Caitlyn and Jayce. It had been taken on the day she and Cait had graduated from the Police Academy and the man had joined them to celebrate. Smiling thinly, she set it down upright.

.............................................

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting?" Asked Ahri at the door.

Caitlyn was crouched down on the floor with numerous utensils surrounding her. A few meters behind her, there was a suitcase. "No. Do you need anything?"

Ahri hesitated and bit her lip. But ultimately decided to risk questioning. "I just wanted to ask how the investigation was going if that's all right. Have you found anything yet?"

Caitlyn raised her head and looked the girl in the eyes. "Unfortunately not much."

Ahri frowned. "Oh... bummer."

The officer picked up a magnifying glass and started examining the area around the sofa where Ekko had sat on that fateful night. "I can say one thing for sure: It was a very clean crime..."

Ahri looked at her own two feet for a few seconds. Then she raised her head. "Caitlyn, we would like to know... Do you think... Do you think you will find the boy? Is there hope? Akali... Akali is so down... I have never seen her like this."

The woman clenched the magnifying glass in her hand. It took her a few moments to answer, but when she did, her expression was dead serious. "I sure hope so. But not every case ends well. I'm sure you're well aware of that."

Ahri's eyes saddened even more upon being confronted with the cold hard truth. "Yes... I know that. I guess all we can do is wait."

"Yes." Simply said the officer. "Now please... I need to concentrate."

"Of course." Said Ahri. "Good luck..." She hesitated a little bit and took a small step back. Then, she slowly turned around and left.

Caitlyn's eyes carefully studied every inch of the floor for long minutes, looking for the smallest bit of evidence that could help her.

She was about to lose hope when she saw something: a minuscule hair that had previously passed by unnoticed.

"Hm..." She retrieved tweezers from her suitcase and picked it up. She observed it attentively from up close for some time before placing it in a small plastic bag. It wasn't much, but it was at least something.

There was a big probability that the small hair would lead to nothing at all, but in a case as cryptic as this, she had to take any chances she could get...

.............................................

"Hey, Caitlyn!" A voice called out to her the next morning.

The chief was holding a cup of coffee in her hand and turned around to greet her colleague. "Good morning. Have you found something already?"

The same tall girl who had analyzed the glass for her, was approaching rapidly. "I did extra hours yesterday to get this done for you. I know how urgent your case is and I want to be of as much help as possible."

Caitlyn was actually touched by her colleague's efforts, but, as always, her emotions were concealed behind the dark lens. "Oh, thank you. So, what did you find out?"

"I found a DNA match and I ran it through the data base." The girl said. "Turns out, that hair belongs to a man named Shen. He's a famous plastic surgeon, here in the city."

"A plastic surgeon?" Asked Caitlyn cupping her chin for a few seconds.

And then...

It hit her.

Her eyes widened and her mouth opened partially.

"A plastic surgeon! Of course! How did I not think of that?" She exclaimed.

The other girl smiled, satisfied. "Well, looks like my information helped."

"You don't even know how much... Thank you once again.

It was so obvious... 

Viktor had undergone plastic surgery!

That's how he had managed to look like Jayce!

How could she have been so blind?

The other girl's eyebrows furrowed. "But once again, there's something fishy going on. There isn't anyone named Shen on the guest list you gave me!"

Caitlyn's eyes widened. "What? Are you certain?"

"Yes. A hundred percent. But I would check with the party hosts just to be sure."

"That's exactly what I'm going to do. Thanks once again."

When Kai'sa was asked to come to the Police Station later that day, it was confirmed.

"No, I didn't invite Shen. But I do know who he is! I know everyone... It's kinda my thing." Said the young star. "His office is by the stadium, if I'm not mistaken."

"But how did his hair end up in that room if he wasn't even there? Did you have him over at some point?" The officer wished to know.

"No, never." Answered Kai'sa. "I never actually talked to him. A friend of mine had her surgery done by Shen and she recommended him to me. That's how I know about him."

Caitlyn's eyebrows furrowed and her eyes narrowed behind the lens. If this man also had something to do with Ekko's disappearance, this case was about to become even more complicated...

However, she had to find out the whole story. The officer didn't waste time. At the first opportunity, she got in her car and drove off.

Shen's office was a bit far from the Police Station, almost fifteen minutes away. Once she got there, Caitlyn pulled over and exited the vehicle.  
Curious, she looked up. The building towered above her, almost like a skyscraper, yet not quite. It didn't look new or old and it was hard to tell for how long it had been around. Then, the officer shifted her attention to the entrance door and started walking in its direction.

Once on the inside, Caitlyn headed for the elevators and pushed the button for the seventh floor.

She didn't know what she was about to encounter or who Shen was.

If he was associated with the likes of Viktor, she could be in danger. So, she gripped her phone inside her pocket for comfort, knowing full well that Vi would be on the other end of the line the moment her ringtone sounded.

Not to mention that she had brought a gun with her. Just to be safe...

The elevator bell rang and the light above the doors lit up. This was it: The seventh floor.

The elevator doors slowly opened in front of her and Caitlyn stepped outside. She was now in a well lit hallway with five doors on one side and big windows on the other. Her eyes were drawn to the end of the hallway and to the last door. Number 54. Where Shen's office was.

Slightly nervous, Caitlyn clenched her fist before taking a step forward. She walked up to the last room, hesitated for a little bit and finally rang the door bell. She started hearing the faded faraway voice of a man that got increasingly closer. Her eyebrows furrowed as her curiosity grew. A few seconds later, he was on the other side of the door and she could clearly understand what he was saying.

"It's going to be a little sore for a while, but it's normal after surgery. It may even itch. You have nothing to worry about." Said the man, who was seemingly at the phone. It was undoubtedly Shen. "There's someone at the door, I have to go. I hope you feel better soon."

Caitlyn heard the keys on the lock turning and the door finally opened. "Good afternoon." Said Shen, politely. "What can I help you with?" 

"Good afternoon." Caitlyn retrieved her badge and showed it to him. "I'm Caitlyn, the Chief of the city's Police Department. You are Shen, correct?"

At that moment, Caitlyn saw Shen's eyes widen very briefly and his shoulder muscles tensed. This reaction made her eyes narrow. Of course, he could simply be surprised to have the police at his door.

But his eyes hadn't emoted only surprise.

There was something else...

Fear.

This might have passed by unnoticed to someone else. But not to Caitlyn...

"What brings you here, Chief?" Asked Shen.

Caitlyn decided to take off her sunglasses and hung them on the collar of her shirt. She wanted to pay close attention to Shen's eyes and body language.

"Well, do you agree to answer to a few questions?" Caitlyn stared at him directly in the eyes as if defying him.

"But of course." Said Shen.

"Well, first and foremost, I'm working on a case. And it so happens that I found evidence that puts you in the crime scene." Her stare was incredibly cold. She noticed Shen's muscles become tense.

"What... What do you mean, Chief? What did you find exactly? How can I have been in the scene of the crime?"

"I don't know. But the evidence makes you a suspect."

Shen's lips compressed slightly as his stare alternated between Caitlyn and the ground beneath his feet.

"You are a surgeon for a living, I've been informed of that. What do your clients have to say about it? Are they usually satisfied with your work?" Caitlyn questioned.

"Yes, they are. People love my work. I'm almost always busy."

"What is your field of expertise?"

"Craniofacial surgery. I specialize in reconstruction of the head, face, jaws and even the neck." He answered directly without stumbling on his words.

"Reconstruction of the face... Hm..." Caitlyn thought, seeing things fall into place. She asked. "Your surgeries are very successful then, if you have so many clients. How difficult is it to completely reconstruct someone's face from scratch? Let's say, if the person had an accident?"

Shen furrowed his eyebrows. His breathing was heavy. "It really depends on the injuries. But my surgeries have always gone extremely well. Even when other surgeons said it was a lost case, I managed to pull through successfully."

"Tell me, is it actually possible to transform a person into someone else through plastic surgery?"

Shen frowned deeply. His hands trembled slightly as the impatience kept on growing inside him. "Not in most cases. We can achieve something very similar but not a perfect copy. There are many physical factors that come into play, such as the thickness of the skin and the shape of the head. However if these requirements are met, which is very rare, it is theoretically possible to make someone look very similar to another person..."

"I see." Said Caitlyn. "Now, I'd like to ask you something a little different. Have you heard of the bands KD/A and True Damage?"

Shen's eyebrows rose in surprise and his eyes widened. "Bands? You're asking me about bands...? With due respect but, is this... Is this really necessary?" There was now a hint of desperation in his voice.

"Yes." Said Caitlyn, coldly and directly.

Shen sighed. "I know KD/A. My daughter is a big fan of them. I believe the one called Evelynn is her favorite. That's all I know, in all honesty. I never heard of the other one though. True Damage. Is that what you said?"

Caitlyn nodded.

"Hm... No. I don't recall ever hearing that band's name." Shen commented.

"Hm..." The officer rubbed her chin in deep thought. She looked Shen right in the eyes as she asked her next question. Her gaze was so intense, it was as if she were looking into his soul. "Does the name Ekko mean anything to you?"

The surgeon tilted his head to the side in response. He seemed genuinely confused. "Ekko? Hm... No. I've never heard of that name. Who is he?" The stare he gave back to Caitlyn was one of pure curiosity.

He seemed so legitimately oblivious of Ekko's existence...

If this man had ties to Viktor, could he simply not be aware of the man's plan to kidnap the boy? But if he had been in the crime scene... It made no sense.

"So, it seems like you don't know him." Concluded Caitlyn. "I'll tell you who he is in a minute. I'm going to ask you something else, now: Have you watched today's news?"

Shen's eyes narrowed. His whole demeanor communicated exasperation. "If I watched the news??? No offense, but, why is that relevant, Chief???" He snapped at her. His desperation and inner turmoil were increasingly evident.

Caitlyn kept her calm and collected persona and very simply raised an eyebrow at the man. "Is there some kind of problem with my question?"

Shen took a deep breath and closed his eyes to try and calm down from his sudden outburst. "No. I'm sorry." He opened his eyes up again. "Yes, I watch the news regularly. I like to keep myself informed."

"Well, have you perhaps heard of the recent alleged kidnapping of a young boy?"

The surgeon took a look at his turned off plasma television in the corner of the room. "Hm... Wait. I think I heard about it on TV this morning. Is that the case you're investigating?"

Shen's tone was so sincere... Maybe he really didn't have anything to do with the boy's disappearance. He could simply be one of Viktor's acquaintances.

"Yes, it is indeed. Ekko is the name of the boy whose disappearance I'm investigating." Said Caitlyn.

Shen's eyes stopped emoting sheer nervousness for a few seconds and genuine pity took its place. "Poor kid..." He said sadly. "I hope you find him."

The officer wasn't done with her questioning yet. "Please tell me. Where were you last Friday night?"

Shen looked puzzled. "Last Friday I did extra work hours. I stayed here in the office almost until sunrise. My wife can confirm it: I didn't sleep at home. There's also a surveillance camera that you can check." Shen said, looking at the device on the other side of the room.

Caitlyn frowned deeply." If that is so, how can you explain that I found evidence of you being at the same party where Ekko was kidnapped? It happened last Friday night."

Shen's eyes widened. "That... That simply can't be. I have solid proof that I was right here at that time." Upon saying this, he remembered she had told him he was a "suspect" in her book. "You think I was involved in the kidnapping? Chief... I would never do such a thing! I earn good money with my hard work. I don't have any reason to do something like that."

Caitlyn clenched her fist and decided it was time for the million dollar question. "If that is so... Do you happen to know a man named... Viktor?"

And that's when she became certain that the surgeon knew something...

His fingers twitched slightly, his eyes became plagued with a deep fear. Yet, Shen kept on trying to act natural. "No... I'm sorry, Chief. But I'm afraid I don't know someone with that name..."

And Caitlyn realized he wasn't being able to look her in the eyes, choosing to pretend like he was doing so, while looking slightly to the side. His muscles were so tense... His tone hadn't been the same as when he had told her he had no idea who Ekko was. That had sounded perfectly genuine.

"You're hiding something. Aren't you?" Caitlyn asked directly, risking it. She knew she was being a bit hasty. But she was so sure of her behavior reading capabilities she didn't second guess herself.

The man was getting increasingly nervous by the second. She could practically hear the fast heartbeat inside his chest.

"I... I beg your pardon?" Inquired Shen, mildly shocked and confused.

"You're not telling me everything. Your words say one thing while your eyes say another." Caitlyn affirmed.

There was a long moment of silence. The woman just kept on pressuring Shen with her intense gaze and he was seemingly at a loss of what to do.

She tried to convince him.

"Look... It feels like you're afraid of something. Is this correct?" Shen was quiet. He simply looked her in the eyes as she spoke. "If it is, you should tell me what it is that you're afraid of. I might be able to help."

Shen seemed extremely conflicted. He looked around for a few moments and then sighed. "Chief... I... I don't know how to say this, but... Just you being here puts them in mortal danger." He whispered.

Caitlyn's eyes widened. "Who is... them?"

Shen bit his lower lip. Now that he had started, he didn't want to back down... He looked around once again and looked Caitlyn directly in the eyes for the first time.

"Chief... I'm talking about my wife and daughter..."

Caitlyn's eyebrows furrowed and she took a step forward to get closer to him. "I'm listening."

"You mentioned a man named Viktor... He... He is my client. More or less..." Shen clenched his fist nervously. "About a year ago, he... He came looking for me. And demanded that I perform surgery on him without charging for it... Of course, I refused. It was an outrage! But he said he needed a work well done and that he had ways to make me accept."

Shen looked at his own two feet for a bit and then proceeded." He took out his phone and made a video-call to someone. When the other person picked up, he turned the screen in my direction. The place where they were seemed very familiar. It took me a few seconds to realize that it was... The inside of my house."

Caitlyn's eyes widened.

"Then they turned the camera and I saw... My wife and my daughter. Just watching TV in the next room. With their backs turned. Completely unaware." Shen's face emoted the horror he felt. "He had people... Subordinates... Ready to hurt or even kill my family if I didn't say yes. I knew immediately that this man was not to be messed with. I begged him not to hurt them and agreed to do as he wished. And he just smiled. Like a psychopath..."

"That's... Terrifying..." Commented Caitlyn.

Shen's eyes narrowed in sadness. "All that man ever told me about himself was his name: Viktor. And I didn't even know if he was telling the truth. He asked me to transform him into someone you probably already know, since you're both cops."

Upon hearing this, Caitlyn's chest filled with pure happiness. She already knew what he was going to say. And that meant that her theory was one hundred percent correct.

"Officer Jayce." Finished Shen. "He wanted to transform into a perfect copy of him. That's why he seeked a professional. And not to brag, but when I finished he was unrecognizable. He came in for the first time with his face all burnt. It was... Horrible to look at. To say the least... And exited as the officer's doppelganger."

Caitlyn felt a smile draw itself on her face.

Jayce was...

Jayce was innocent.

Jayce was innocent! 

It had been Viktor all along...

Shen became confused." With due respect, Chief Caitlyn. But what are you smiling about?" He wished to know.

"Oh..." She said, surprised. "I'm sorry. It simply happens that the information that you provided just helped me solve a big part of the case I'm working on. And I'm very grateful for that."

"That pleases me greatly." Said Shen, smiling thinly.

"I'd just like to know... Is there any evidence that backs up your claim? There are files on the surgery you carried out, correct?" 

Shen frowned. "Viktor didn't let me keep any evidence of the surgery. He made me burn all the papers and delete all the computer files in his presence and even demanded to check my phone image gallery..."

The officer's heart skipped a beat inside her chest. "There's nothing left...?"

Then, Shen's expression transformed. "Luckily... There's an old camera of mine that I keep around and that he never knew about..." The man walked over to his desk and retrieved a small device from one of the drawers. "And I captured some evidence with it, while he was asleep during surgery. If I ever had the chance, I would have ran to the police with it. But it's too dangerous to defy someone like Viktor."

Shen walked over to Caitlyn and handed her the camera. She accepted it and quickly looked into the image gallery. There it was. Some pictures of the before and after surgery. Viktor's burnt face was truly unpleasant to look at and she flinched when she first lay her eyes on it. And once she saw Jayce's face on that stranger, her heart skipped a beat inside her chest. The resemblances were striking. She almost couldn't tell if that was Jayce or not.

"Viktor was lucky..." Shen commented. "His skull is quite similar to the officer's. That really facilitated my work. No... That's what made it possible."

Caitlyn raised her head and gave the surgeon a look of gratitude. "Thank you for this."

"You are very welcome. I don't need the camera. Take it with you." Said Shen. But his expression darkened immediately after. "Chief Caitlyn, please be careful. I believe we're being watched."

Caitlyn's body tensed immediately.

"Viktor... has eyes and ears all over the city. He told me I would always have someone watching me, so it wouldn't be a good idea to go to the police. Those men were able to sneak into my house that day. I don't believe he was bluffing. That man is capable of anything." Shen crossed his arms and slowly walked over to his working desk, leaning against it. "If they know you are a police officer and they saw you come in here... I probably have my days counted. And so do my wife and daughter..." Here, his voice cracked as if he were about to cry. "That's why... That's why I told you everything... I thought that maybe, just maybe... since you're already here... That you would be able to help them..." He said sadly.

Caitlyn's chest hurt upon hearing this. She pitied that man whose life had been threatened and who was trying to protect his family with all his strength. "Of course I can help. I'll take you to the Police Station with me so you can testify against Viktor. And I will send officers to your house so they can protect your family."

Shen's eyes widened. "But Chief... If they see me leave with you to the Police Station... You'll become involved in all this. You'll be in danger."

The woman thought hard for a few seconds. "I have an idea: What if they see us leaving at different times? Whoever is spying on us shouldn't suspect as much."

Shen rubbed his chin with uncertainty. "I don't know... But I suppose not."

"Then, I'll leave now. Come over to the Police Station at seven. Thank you for your time and your cooperation."

"The pleasure was all mine." Politely answered Shen while accompanying the officer to the door.

Caitlyn quickly put her sunglasses back on as she stepped outside. "Once you testify against him, we will have completed a small step in putting an end to Viktor's reign of terror." She affirmed with conviction.

.............................................

After three days in the city taking care of some business, he was finally back. The man who had a striking resemblance to Jayce was slowly going up the stairs of his hideout. It had been a long and hard day of work and his muscles hurt quite a bit.

Despite that, he was smiling. To him, it was impossible not to, when thinking about the one who was waiting for him. He would open the door and the boy would look at him with his gorgeous golden eyes. He would show him his love by embracing him and kissing him passionately. He would hold the teenager close against his chest and it would be as if he had never left in the first place.

He knew the boy struggled heavily. He knew he begged him to stop. Yeah right... He sure loved making himself difficult for his captor. And that fascinated Viktor.

He would grow out of it eventually...

Ekko was one of the best finds he had ever made in his life. That was undeniable. His purity and innocence were so striking. His attempts at fighting him were too cute.

The boy didn't know that they would be joined by some of his friends later on that day. They must even already be on their way. Viktor couldn't even imagine how delightful it would be.

He could already see the door to the teen's room. His heart started beating fast. Each step he took, he got closer and closer. Once he got hold of the door handle, his eyes filled with lust. His nipples and cock started getting hard in anticipation. He retrieved the keys and slowly turned them inside the lock.

The door opened. Viktor stepped inside and his eyes immediately looked for the familiar young face.

However, all he found was an empty bed.

The man's eyes widened. Something wasn't right. He took a few steps forward, looking around the room.

A terrifying thought crossed his mind.

The boy couldn't have escaped.

Could he...?

But before the man could make up any more ideas in his mind, he felt a strong pain on the back of his head. In less than a second, everything went out of focus and darkness took over his consciousness.

Viktor fell flat on the wooden floor.


	12. Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter contains graphic descriptions of sexual assault. Read to your own discretion.
> 
> Hey guys! This chapter is honestly quite depressing. I enjoyed and didn't enjoy writing it. It was somewhat difficult.  
> Just for clarification, Ekko calls Viktor, Jayce, because he doesn't know about anything yet.  
> I hope you guys keep on following the story and leaving your wonderful comments that always make my day even better! <3

His whole body was trembling.

He had been so scared that it wouldn't work. But it had. This first part had, at least. He now nervously looked down upon the body of his captor that lay unconscious on the floor.

While wandering around the room, Ekko had found that, even though the wooden chairs in that bleak corner were old and falling apart, their legs were quite heavy and sturdy. It hadn't been hard for him to pull one out.

The boy had planned to hide behind the door, for it would cover him once it had been opened. All he had to do was wait for the man to come in and then strike him on the back of the head with all his strength.

It was a simple plan. However, if it went wrong and the man spotted him about to attack him, he could be in big trouble. Ekko didn't know what Jayce would do to him if he felt like he was turning against him. And this possibility made him extremely nervous. The moment he had heard the entrance door downstairs open up, he had jumped from the bed and grabbed the hard piece of wood. He had then put himself in position and waited, with his heart in his mouth. The minute it had taken for his kidnapper to walk up the stairs had been perceived by the boy as an eternity. He nervously clawed the improvised weapon in his hands. His poor heart beat hard and fast like a drum inside his chest while he waited.

However, despite all the anxiety and the doubts, he had succeeded.

Ekko didn't waste time. He retrieved the rope from under the bed and tied the man's arms and legs so he couldn't follow him in case he woke up. He wasn't very good with knots and the stress didn't let him concentrate on the task. Due to how strong he was, Jayce could potentially get free from the bindings quite easily. He'd rather finish this as soon as possible and be on his way. Instead of being present to witness his captor waking up and potentially thwart his plans right on the spot.

As soon as he was done, the boy ran down the stairs. He had already envisioned what he was going to do and he looked for the entrance door. If it were closed and he couldn't find the key, he would try to escape through a window. He would try to open it and if that didn't work, he would try to break the glass with a heavy object.

However, when he got to the ground floor, he looked around and saw different rooms. Their doors were all open and he could clearly see the inside from the hallway. The kitchen was dimly lit, with the floor and table apparently cleaned up. But the kitchen utensils were scattered all over, creating a messy environment. The living room was small and the couches were in really bad state. The armchairs were covered in spiderwebs and it felt like they hadn't been used in forever. Even the hallway he found himself in had an old, putrid, dusty feeling to it. He couldn't wait to get away from this place.

However, something occurred to him. Instead of heading for the door, he decided to take a quick look around the other rooms. He couldn't take too long, but if he were able to find his phone, he would have a better chance of calling someone and freeing himself for good.

Sadly, he didn't find even a trace of the device. At the very least, he located the keys of the entrance door on the kitchen counter. Taking a deep breath, Ekko opened the sturdy door and stepped outside for the first time in what seemed like forever. He breathed in the fresh afternoon air and looked around at the surrounding trees.

He didn't know exactly how much time had passed, but it sure had felt like a lifetime. The boy locked the door behind him, to reduce even more the chances of the man chasing after him. He took one last look at the old house and then bolted into the woods, disappearing amidst the trees.

......................................

Graves couldn't believe his eyes when he stepped inside the room where he expected the kid to be imprisoned. Instead, he found his friend tied up on the floor. He was in the process of waking up and was dazed and weakened. Once Viktor realized he wasn't alone, he blinked several times, trying to understand who it was.

"Graves, is that you? How did you get in here?"

Graves furrowed his eyebrows and frowned. "You must have been hit in the head. I have a copy of the house keys? You gave them to me?"

Viktor was silent for a bit, trying to assimilate what his partner had said. "What happened?" He then asked, the confusion very noticeable in his voice.

"That's what I wanna know! I came in and just found you like this on the floor!" The man said, proceeding to untie his hands. He looked around the room in bewilderment. "Where's the kid at?"

Viktor's eyes widened.

The kid.

Yes.

He could remember now. The pain he had felt. He had been struck on the back of his head by a powerful blow.

Ekko had done this.

He had also taken the time to tie him up and then left him there.

Viktor's heart started beating wildly, a deep scowl drew itself on his mouth, his face reddened profusely. There were no words to describe the anger that he felt building up inside his chest.

Graves even fearfully backed off a little bit. "Viktor, you feeling ok?"

Two eyes looked at him with such intensity that it felt like they could cut through an armored door. The rage inside Viktor could almost be physically felt, like an unbearable heat that emanated from the innermost parts of his being. Graves jolted, uncomfortable with the look his friend was giving him.

"Does it look like I'm ok to you?" Asked Viktor in a very dark and cold tone. "That brat probably thinks that he got away with this. Well..." He said, rubbing his wrists that Graves had just finished untying. "He couldn't be more wrong..."

"Should I contact the others? This forest is huge. We will need help finding him." Said Graves.

"Yes." Simply ordered Viktor while untying his own ankles. "He can run. But he can't hide..." Once free, he slowly stood up and aggressively gripped the rope in his hand with an excessive amount of force. "I will hunt him down to the ends of the Earth if need be and bring him back. And once he's in our power again..." The hand that held the loose rope was red and shaking uncontrollably. "... I will make him wish he was NEVER born..."

......................................

The sun was slowly disappearing in the horizon. The forest around him was being engulfed by the growing darkness of the night that was drawing near. The sky was absolutely stunning in tones of soft pink, yellow and bright orange, signaling the twilight hour. Colorful leaves paved the path in front of him.

Yet, all this beauty didn't reach Ekko.

The boy carefully rubbed his arms in an attempt to keep himself warm. It was the beginning of October and the weather was starting to get colder and colder. He payed attention to the ground below him so he wouldn't trip on a branch or tree root or stumble on uneven terrain. The trees and heavy vegetation made it hard to see ahead. The growing darkness around him made it even worse. Everything looked the same.

His mind was being plagued by terrifying thoughts. His heart beat wildly and there was a tightness in his throat. This place was an authentic labyrinth. What if he never found his way out of the forest? What if he starved to death? What if he were attacked by a wild animal?

Here, the chain of questions came to a halt. He stopped walking. The animal he had run away from was wilder and more dangerous than any beast he could encounter wandering this forest. He had attacked him relentlessly not because of an instinct to survive, but because of self-sexual gratification, and a desire to overpower another. Even though it was unbelievably scary, the boy would prefer to be killed quickly by the claws of a wolf. Rather than die slowly while his fragile soul and body were abused to their limits.

This thought made him shiver. Jayce was undoubtedly crazy. Would he come after him? Would he chase him down relentlessly? Or would he simply think he would die to the wildlife or of starvation and leave him be? The boy wanted to believe in the latter so badly... But it was just so unlikely, knowing his captor. He was well aware of the hungry looks he gave him. Of how much the man coveted his body. To him, he wasn't a person. He was simply an object of his desire. Something that he had acquired and now owned. And he wouldn't let him go just like that... Jayce would only give up on looking for him if he found him dead, right in front of his eyes.

Just the mental imagine of the man's dark eyes and creepy smile made him feel all cold inside. He resumed walking. Better to create distance from that putrid house than to stay in the same spot for too long, giving Jayce time to catch up to him.

Ekko sighed tiredly. He had been walking for hours. His legs and feet were starting to hurt. However, the fear of being captured again and the hope of finding help of any kind gave him the strength he needed to keep going.

The boy walked for almost forty minutes more, before hearing the sound of running water. He simply followed it until he found himself in a peaceful clearing traversed by a small stream. By that time, nighttime had completely settled upon the world and a veil of darkness covered everything. A chilly wind was blowing around him. The moon was shining like a pearl in the immense night sky. In his mind, he had created enough distance between himself and that place of nightmares and decided it would be ok to stop and rest. Ekko approached the clear water, cupped his hands and drank slowly until his thirst was quenched. He then sat down against a maple tree, providing a little bit of relief to his sore muscles. He rested his head against the smooth trunk and he allowed himself to relax for a few moments. The boy looked upwards at the clear starry sky and the millions of bright lights shone in his sad eyes. He thought of home. Would he ever be with his friends again? And his parents, whom he hadn't seen in forever? He wondered if he would laugh with them once more and spend good times with the people he loved. The way he used to...

However... Deep down... Ekko knew things would never be the same.

Because he felt different...

The boy slowly raised his hands closer to his face. He observed the painful rope burns on his wrists and sighed deeply.

He felt like something had changed inside him. Something important. Something that defined him. He didn't know exactly what it was. But he knew that he wasn't the same carefree teenager who had happily attended Ahri's party that night.

Just when had that been...? Seemed like another lifetime...

Since then, he had been drugged and taken away from his home against his will. His body had violently been broken into. And he had been robbed of his innocence. He felt filthy. Dirty. Impure. And nothing seemed to take away the feelings of guilt and worthlessness at the pit of his stomach.

Suddenly the figure of Akali appeared in his mind's eye. If he were to find her again... Would she still look at him the same way? With the same kind eyes and warm smile? Or would she eye him differently? With contempt or pity, making him feel even more like a victim? But what he feared the most was... What if his friend felt disgusted by him? His veins froze just from imagining that possibility.

But Ekko didn't want to believe in it. He had trust in Akali. She had always been nothing but loyal, caring and helpful to him. Why would he ever doubt her? And this certainty inside his heart was enough to keep the hope alive in him, like a warm fire on a cold Winter night.

......................................

A broken stick that had recently been stepped on. A fresh set of footprints on the cold moisty earth. Some bent over clumps of tall grass. The man, concealed by shadows, kneeled down to examine the trails and picked up a small piece of wood, observing it attentively. He then looked at the path of leaves and dirt in front of him. His prey couldn't be far off... He was certain. He slowly got up and swiftly ran along the path of fallen leaves while making little to no sound, like a ghost in the night.

......................................

Observing the soft grass beneath him, Ekko pondered whether he should spend the night in this spot. Or if he should be on his way. He was getting tired... But what if some thing or someone snuck up on him while his guard was down? It just didn't feel safe...

A sudden sound cut through the silence of the night. Some bushes rustled. This startled Ekko, whose heart started pounding like a drum against his chest. A thousand thoughts raced through his mind. Was it a wolf? Was it his kidnappers? Was it just the wind? The boy froze in place. He held his breath in anticipation. The world had stopped around him. The seconds that passed felt more like centuries. This was enough to make him feel uncomfortable about spending the night in this spot.

The boy immediately got up and decided to go on his way, even though exhaustion was starting to settle in. As he walked, he kept on eyeing his surroundings with uncertainty. Everything around him seemed eerily quiet. All he could hear was the crunching of the leaves beneath his feet.

But suddenly, a strange rustling sound cut through the silence of the night. The teen stopped abruptly in his tracks. He focused all his attention on the sound, trying to identify it. It felt like someone was slowly creeping up on him, prowling through the moisty grass...

His throat suddenly felt unbelievably tight. A cold fear crept up his spine. He carefully looked in all directions as panic conquered all his senses.

He... he wasn't alone...

Someone was watching him from the shadows...

The boy felt his legs move on their own. Suddenly he was sprinting through the trees, being guided only by the moonlight. He didn't even think to look back. He had a very vivid feeling that those were human steps he had heard. It hadn't sounded at all like an animal...

And whoever it was...

They were out to get him.

Why else would someone be out here, in the forest, in the middle of the night...?

Ekko focused solely on running as fast as he could. The pure fear he felt gave him the incentive to not stop at any cost. He tried regulating his breathing as best as he could, but it was hard to do so. It was as if ice was growing inside him. Beads of sweat ran down his temples. Terror danced in his wide open eyes.

Whoever they were... They were here to take him back.

He just knew it...

Horrific memories started flashing before Ekko's eyes: Jayce's hands fondling his naked chest. The forced kissing. The intense pain as his body was violated. The panic. The horror. The shame.

Tears formed in his eyes.

He couldn't go back.

He couldn't.

He couldn't...

To his dismay, his legs began faltering. His tired feet couldn't keep him running like this for much longer. His arms and chest were heavy from the exhaustion. His lungs craved some much needed oxygen. The boy's sprint came to an end next to a very tall tree with knotty wood. He leaned his back against the trunk, sweating and panting heavily. He touched his chest with his palm, trying to catch his breath and calm his racing heart.

A rain cloud hid the moon. Darkness covered the forest completely. Ekko's eyes darted in all directions. But he couldn't discern absolutely anything. His ears tried listening for the slightest alarming sound. And they caught something...

Footsteps. Clear footsteps on the moisty earth.

Getting closer.

Closer.

Closer...

The boy's fear spiked. Now he was certain. They had caught up to him...

But he didn't even have time to finish his thoughts.

With no warning, a dark figure fell over him and tackled him to the ground. In pure panic, he struggled heavily, trying to fight the strong arms that tried immobilizing him.

No. This couldn't end like this.

Gathering his remaining strength, Ekko pulled his leg back and hit his knee, full force, on his attacker's stomach. A yelp of pain came out of the mysterious figure's lips and the boy felt the strong arms release him. He didn't waste time and rapidly got up. But, unfortunately, he only had the chance to take a single step.

A hand wrapped itself around his ankle and pulled his leg, upsetting his balance. Ekko fell forwards and hit the ground with a thud. His attacker had recovered from the blow to his stomach unbelievably quickly. The boy felt him slither on top of him like a snake.

As he was pinned down, the teen, desolated, accepted that he was defeated. His strength was absolutely depleted. His body was limp. His breathing was irregular as he tried catching a breath from all the running. He turned his head and looked up at the shadow that hovered over him. His poor heart beat wildly with fear.

A cold breeze blew past him and the dark cloud in the sky began moving. When the moon showered the forest once again with its light, Ekko could see, for the first time, the face of his attacker. And to his shock... it wasn't who he had expected...

This person wasn't Jayce. Or that friend of his.

This man was dead pale. His hair was bone white and his golden eyes were terribly cold and unforgiving. However, there was an almost unnoticeable yet unsettling smirk of satisfaction adorning his lips.

Suddenly the man moved. He slowly lowered his head and whispered into his ear. "Hello kid. You're Ekko, isn't it? If there is one thing that all my prey end up learning, is this: They can run. But I always catch up to them. Every. Single. Time." His voice was quiet and gravelly and it made the hairs on the back of Ekko's neck stand up.

Who... Who was this man? Did he know Jayce? Had he been sent by him?

As if he had read his thoughts, the man immediately answered, still whispering into his ear. "My name is Zed. Nice to meet you. Viktor told me all about you."

Wait... Viktor? Who was Viktor? Who was this man called Zed? Just how many people were after him...? What made them so interested in him...?

Ekko suddenly felt the man's body move around, putting itself in position to get up. Immediately after, a hand tugged at the back of his shirt. "Get on your feet." Ordered the man, this time in a normal tone of voice.

The teen didn't have much of a choice. He obeyed with clear difficulty due to the exhaustion and the soreness of his body. But Zed didn't show him any compassion. Firmly holding the boy's wrists behind his back, he gave him a hard shove that threw him against the tall tree's trunk. Ekko winced in pain as his right cheek and chest came harshly into contact with the rough wood.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed a curious detail about the man that had passed by unnoticed. He had a thick rope tied around his waist. Just laying his eyes upon it was enough to double Ekko's discomfort. It worsened as Zed effortlessly pinned him against the tree and immobilized him. He then proceeded to untie the rope from around his waist and used it to bind the boy's wrists behind his back. The entire time, the teen's eyes darted from his captor to the cursed object, all the while expecting something terrible to happen...

Once he was done, Zed reached into his pocket, took out his phone and typed something that Ekko could only imagine was the information that he had been caught.

A sinister question lingered in his mind.

What would happen to him now...?

He...

He didn't want to find out...

"I sent them our location. They'll soon be on their way." Informed Zed. "Viktor isn't happy. And let me tell you, that's never good. If I were you, I'd be worried." He smirked.

Ekko's heart started racing inside his chest. This Viktor... Seemed to be the one in charge. But Jayce had apparently orchestrated everything. Were they working together...?

He didn't get the answer he wanted this time. Instead, he noticed Zed was focused on his body, examining him from top to bottom. It was somewhat different from when Jayce and the other man had done it. In his eyes, there wasn't lust. Only pure curiosity. However, it made Ekko extremely uncomfortable all the same.

After a while, Zed spoke again. "You know, kid? You were one of the few who I caught and lived to tell the story. I was given orders to capture you alive. How lucky for you..." Hearing this made the boy feel all cold inside. "Viktor called me over because he said I needed to try IT sometime. And the one he had managed to kidnap was an "absolute beauty" according to him." He gave him a creepy smile as he carefully studied his young face. "I'm not into kids like he is. But I have to admit. You ARE something else..."

And this was when a feeling of dread took over Ekko's being. He suddenly felt the man's legs pressing against the back of his to prevent him from lashing out. And then, he felt an invasive hand begin fondling his behind. The poor boy's eyes widened in terror.

"No. Stop!" He instinctively pleaded.

Zed's hand cupped one cheek over the fabric of the pants. Then the other. He rubbed the whole area with slow circular movements that were now being stimulated by lust. He felt the child struggle weakly against his bigger body.

Ekko was filled to the brim with fear. He couldn't move. He could only stand there and take it as this stranger did what he wanted with one of his most abused places. Once again... He felt so weak...

One of the man's hands started wandering down the boy's thighs, pressuring lightly against the soft fabric. The other ventured inside his boxers, feeling the warm and smooth skin of the youngster's backside. His fingers creeped around the area and his palm felt the heavy tension of his muscles. It was just like Viktor had described it to him. The boy's body was small, hot, and extremely desirable. This didn't even compare to groping a woman's ass. The little moans of distress Ekko let out only made it all the more enjoyable. He felt in total control of something that was small and helpless. And for some reason that turned him on... He was starting to understand Viktor's fascination with the young ones.

Ekko was close to tears. His wrists uselessly struggled against the tight rope. His whole body trembled. When the man's fingers started inching dangerously close to his hole, he felt a shiver down his spine. His heartbeat went wild. He stopped breathing. His eyes were clenched shut.

"Please, no. Please, no. Please, no. Please don't do this! Please!" He heard himself scream inside his head in panic. He wanted to have said those words to the man. But the sound died even before reaching his mouth.

However, the abuser's hands retreated. Zed seemed satisfied with the experience and had decided not to go any further.

Ekko let out a shaky breath, relieved, yet nervous. The moment the man released him, he fell to his knees, and immediately created distance between himself and his attacker.

As Zed looked down at the boy, who was shivering violently, he heard the faint roar of a car engine in the distance. Ekko heard it too and his muscles turned to stone. They... They were already here? How...? For how long had Zed assaulted him?

The sound got louder. Two vehicles were approaching them, zigzagging between the trees and swaying from side to side due to the forest's uneven terrain. When both cars stopped, only a few meters away, the teen felt a tightness in his throat. The doors opened.

From the first, two unknown men emerged, holding their phones as flashlights. The tallest of the two had a slim figure and was wearing a brown-ish coat with hints of gold. The outfit was completed with a hat of the same colors atop his head. There was an aura of mystery to him, as the brim of the hat hid his eyes from view. The other individual, was very muscular, with long black raven hair. Some of it was worn loose while the rest was tied up in a ponytail. His eyes were icy blue and he had a stubble beard. One particularly odd detail was that he wore two weird looking bracelets which resembled chains hanging off his wrists.

From the second car, out came two familiar faces which Ekko wasn't at all happy to see. That man who had come over and had joined Jayce in raping him. And then... There he was... The devil himself. And the title wasn't an exaggeration.

The man had an air of authority to him that he hadn't yet shown. He was standing tall and mighty, wearing a deep scowl on his face. Like Zed had said... He was anything but happy. His dark eyes had a murderous look to them and the vein in his forehead seemed ready to explode. When he locked his eyes onto Ekko, the boy flinched in fear. His anger was so vivid that it was as if his soul was on fire. His breaths were long and deep as if he were trying to hold back the will to burn down everything in his path. The flashlight from his phone illuminated his face in a strange fashion, making him appear even more threatening.

Meanwhile, the other three men greeted each other. Graves extended his hand to the tall man and sounded genuinely happy to meet him. "TF! Long time no see!" He exclaimed, calling him by his nickname.

"How is it going Graves, old partner?" Twisted Fate accepted the hand shake and pulled his best friend into a quick hug.

Once they parted, they shifted their attention to their other accomplice.

"Hey Sylas. Causing much Riot lately?" Graves wanted to know.

The man with the strange bracelets put a hand on Fate's shoulder. "You know me. I never stop. It just so happens that a certain someone summoned me here. He said it would be worthwhile. " He explained, crossing his arms and looking over at Viktor.

Sylas and TF both noticed the intensity with which he was looking at the boy and they shifted their attention to the frightened kid on the floor beside Zed.

"I knew you were the man for the job." TF told the assassin. "I bet you could sneak up on anyone in an open space in broad daylight. And they wouldn't see you coming."

Zed gave him a small smirk. "The unseen blade is the deadliest." He commented proudly.

Graves realized suddenly that Viktor hadn't yet said a single word. And he also noticed that the man seemed to be holding back his will to murder the kid right then and there. However in this state of pure rage, he could just lash out at anyone. He carefully called out to him. "Viktor?"

The man sent a killer stare in Graves' direction which made him take a step back. He turned abruptly and shoved his phone into his accomplice's hand. Then, he shifted all of his attention to Ekko and began stomping over to him, fists painfully clenched.

The teen's eyes widened in terror as he saw the man closing the distance between them very quickly. He felt two hands grab his shoulders and he was forced to stand up by Zed. The man with murderous eyes, was almost in front of him. Ekko tried taking a fearful step back, but he couldn't, as he was being firmly held in place.

As soon as he was in range, Viktor didn't hesitate or waste a single second. He very simply pulled his fist back in a rapid motion and it came into contact with Ekko's stomach with brute force. The sudden blow was enough to make Ekko lose all his strength and almost fall to the floor. He only didn't because Zed was holding him up. The boy had his eyes and teeth clenched. He was letting out feeble sounds of distress and was bent over as he tried coping with the immense pain in his gut.

The sound had been loud and clear. The three men near the car even flinched when Ekko was punched. It's not as if they cared. But they couldn't help it. They knew it had to have hurt badly.

Not taking any pity on the child in front of him, Viktor grabbed a handful of his hair and violently forced him to straighten up. Ekko opened his eyes with difficulty and looked at the man in fear. He knew he was in grave danger. Viktor was holding himself back from beating the crap out of the kid, for he had a much worse punishment planned. Instead, he just spoke in a very dark and low voice.

"I was playing nice all along, you ungrateful brat. You shouldn't have done this..." Bitterness, anger and pure disappointment stemmed from his slow, ominous words. "Bring him." He ordered Zed, without looking in the man's direction. He simply let go of Ekko's hair, turned around and walked over to his car with long powerful steps.

"Move." Zed coldly said to the boy as he forced him to walk forward. Ekko knew it was worthless to resist, so he started walking, although with difficulty, while keeping his eyes on the ground. When passing by the two unknown men, the teen looked up at them for a few seconds. When he realized they were giving him extremely creepy looks, he looked away.

"Get in, brat." Zed ordered harshly while opening the car door. Ekko obeyed, sat down and was immediately followed by the man, who took the seat beside his.

The engines roared and the vehicles began moving. The teen rested his head against the cold glass window as he looked outside. The moon was still shining in the starry sky. The stream where he had quenched his thirst was still running free. But his newly found freedom... Just hadn't lasted.

Deep feelings of regret and pure terror clawed at Ekko's fragile heart. He had blown his only chance of ever getting away...

How stupid he was...

The boy felt two tears fall down his face as he wondered... What was going to happen to him now...?

Never in his life had he ever felt so alone.


	13. Shattered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RAPE WARNING! If you don't feel comfortable with things like this, read the first part only.
> 
> Hi guys! I'm back with one more chapter. The first part warmed my heart and I wrote it in one sitting. The second one made me feel sick many times and I had to take many breaks. I hope it makes you feel as disgusted as it made me.  
> Please keep on leaving your lovely comments. They mean so much to me! <3

Vi was bewildered. Leaning against the desk in Caitlyn's office, she listened to the more intricate details of her friend's investigation.

"Remember when I told you that our invitations to the party apparently disappeared? I bet Viktor was behind that." Explained Caitlyn, properly sitting at her desk. "If we went to the party we could have potentially realized that it wasn't Jayce. Through his voice or his behavior or something else. He wanted us, specifically, out of the picture."

"Yeah. It makes sense." Said Vi, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Also. When I was at the prison where Viktor was supposedly being kept, remember that they told me there had been an escape attempt one year earlier? The warden gave me some details about it. A few days prior to the breach, many small blades were apprehended from the prisoners. Whoever broke into the facilities must have tried to sneak the weapons in specifically so the fake Viktor's fingers could be cut off. But then they only had access to lighters and his fingers were only burnt. Had they been successful in cutting them off I would have never gotten to the conclusion that that Viktor was a fake..."

Vi's eyes widened and she shook her head in disbelief. "Cait... You're an actual genius. I still don't understand how you did so much on your own."

The young chief gave her a small smile. "Thank you. But I only did what I could. Any other office would have cracked this case just fine."

Vi circled around the desk and wrapped one arm around her friend's shoulders. "She's a genius and modest. That's my girl!"

Caitlyn's face reddened slightly as she smiled. "Oh, stop it..."

"Truth has to be told. That's what I'm here for." Commented Vi, with a big smile. Then, her expression got a bit milder. She carefully retreated her arm and straightened herself. "By the way... Thank you for lifting my suspension early. I promise I'll be more careful from now on."

Caitlyn blinked and looked distractedly out the window for a few seconds. "Oh, that." Then, she looked back at her friend with a smirk. "I hate to admit it, but.... This place really isn't the same without you around."

Vi faked a shocked expression. "So you missed me! Aw Cait... You're so cute!" The girl teased.

Caitlyn gave her a genuine smile. Then, she cast her eyes onto the office's floor. "With Shen testifying against Viktor and all the proof I gathered... There is zero doubt. Jayce is innocent! " She turned to Vi once again and her eyes were shining with glee.

Vi frowned slightly and she nervously clenched her fist. "That's true... When are they going to release him?"

Caitlyn was brimming with joy as she exclaimed "Right now! Come on!" She jumped from her seat and rapidly headed for the door. Her excitement was almost like a little girl's on Christmas morning.

It was very rare to see Cait like this. Joy stemming from every inch of her being. But whenever she got to witness it, Vi's insides filled with sunshine. Despite her slight discomfort at the thought of having to face Jayce again, Vi just couldn't keep the corners of her mouth down.

Both girls made their way to the cells. To Caitlyn's delight, they arrived just as a colleague of theirs was letting Jayce out. The man stepped outside the cell with a somewhat sad expression. But once he saw the two girls, his face lit up. Caitlyn's smile was wide, her eyes sparkled with happiness. Although somewhat improper to her position, she ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him.

Jayce was a tiny bit surprised at his friend's reaction, but smiled and hugged her back.

"I really thought I was toast. My career was over... Thank you, Cait." He said, sincerely.

Caitlyn hugged him tighter and clenched her eyes shut as she was overwhelmed by the strong emotions of the moment.

The officer that had opened Jayce's cell hurried to take a leave to give the group of friends some privacy.

Vi was a few meters behind, discomfort clawing at her insides. Her heart beat a little faster than usual and her eyes were tainted with worry. Suddenly, she caught Jayce looking in her direction over Caitlyn's shoulder. His expression was neutral. No sadness, no anger, no disappointment in his eyes. No happiness or curiosity. Simply a blank expression. She took a deep breath and started walking over to her friends.

Noticing that Vi was approaching, Jayce carefully let go of Caitlyn. She gave him a big smile before completely retreating her arms. Seeing that his attention had shifted, she turned around and curiously looked at Vi.

The girl stopped. She was now face to face with the man. He was silent and standing still. Just waiting for her to deliver. It took her a few moments, but she finally decided to speak. She took a step forward.

"Hm... Hey." She said, awkwardly.

"Hey." Jayce replied, his eyes meeting hers. She felt uncomfortable and looked away.

"Hm.. Well... I just wanted to say... I'm sorry." Vi confessed, raising her head. "For hurting you. I shouldn't have just lost control... I'm ashamed that I didn't trust you. We're supposed to be friends. And I wasn't a very good one. Unlike Cait. But she is always amazing..." She said looking at her partner, who blushed once again.

Vi kept going." I understand if you don't trust me anymore after turning against you like that. But I was just so angry that you had thrown your whole life away by hurting an innocent kid... I didn't know what to think and acted on impulse. Again, I'm really sorry. I was a complete idiot."

Now it seemed like she had finished and Jayce took a step forward. "Vi." He said, putting a hand on her shoulder. She looked him in the eyes this time. "You've always been an idiot. And we've always been friends." He gave her a comforting smile and proceeded. "I can't blame you for doing what you did. If I saw a recording of you stealing a car and then you told me it hadn't been you... I would want to believe you. But it would be hard, with such evidence in front of my eyes. And I know perfectly well how impulsive you are."

The girl looked more relieved. He was being really understanding and forgiving. But... He was Jayce. And that's the way he had always been. How could she have ever suspected him...?

"It's ok, Vi. I forgive you." He said with a genuine smile, comfortingly gripping her shoulder a bit harder.

"Thanks... I shouldn't really be expecting anything else from you." Vi said with a tiny smile adorning her lips. Then, she did something unexpected. The girl turned on her side, stuck her elbow out and patted it roughly. "Why don't you hit me? And then we're even!" She suggested as if challenging her friend.

Jayce seemed very lost for a bit. But he immediately recovered and gave her a sassy smirk. "I don't hit women." He replied in an amused tone.

Vi raised an eyebrow and returned the smirk. "What a chicken. You just don't dare mess with THIS woman!" She teased.

This led to Caitlyn letting out a good natured laugh and both turned to look at her. Vi gave Jayce a friendly nudge and he accepted it with a smile.

However, suddenly, Jayce's expression darkened. "Guys..." He started, capturing the attention of the two girls. "I know it sort of feels like it's over." His eyes began burning with strong determination and he clenched his fist. "But it's far from that. The kid is still missing... Now we're sure that that monster, Viktor, kidnapped him. We have to find him as soon as possible..."

Caitlyn's heart skipped a beat inside her chest as she remembered the description in Viktor's file. The man was a pedophile and a serial rapist. And being aware of that fact made her fear for the boy. He was so young. Only sixteen. If Viktor did such a thing to him, his life would be destroyed...

The police chief frowned with determination. "Yes. You're absolutely right. That is our number one priority."

"Wait... Did I just hear "OUR number one priority"?" Vi provoked wittily, crossing her arms. "I thought you worked on your own now, Cait. What gives?"

Caitlyn blushed for the third time that day. "Hm... Well... I admit that I miss working in good company." She said with a small smile.

Jayce took a step forward and put each of his hands on his friends' shoulders. "As cliché as it sounds: We're in this together." He commented with a confident smile.

Vi raised an eyebrow and shook her head in disapproval. She didn't resist saying. "We've only now started and you're already making me cringe, old man..."

\-------------------

Ekko let out a yelp as he was violently pushed to the cold hardwood floor. Having fallen onto his side and trying to withstand the pain, he looked around the dimly lit room. The same worn, dusty floor. The same rickety bed. The chairs in the corner covered in spiderwebs. The ominous yellow light emanating from the dangling lamp on the ceiling.

He hadn't been away long enough from this place. And he was already back here. Confined to these four walls. A prisoner at the mercy of a group of men with hearts made of stone.

From the corner of his eye, the teen saw his captors entering the room. Zed, who had been the one to open the door and give him a hard shove, was looking at him triumphantly. Two of the other men were carrying small cardboard boxes with unknown content that they had retrieved from one of the car's trunks. They made Ekko's heart start racing. Whatever was in there, it just couldn't be a good thing.

The last two men started approaching him. Viktor detained himself one step away from the boy and just stood there, towering over him, eyeing him coldly. Sylas knelt on one knee right in front of him and gently touched his face. Ekko furrowed his eyebrows with fear, not knowing what the man's intentions were. He tried shying away from his hand with no success. His muscles tensed.

"So this is the one? I mean, he's quite good looking for a sixteen year old." Commented Sylas. "But I just don't see the appeal. Women have two holes down there you know? If you want to rape them, it's double the fun." He added crudely with a cunning smile.

The boy grimaced. What an absolutely horrible thing to say...

Viktor's face contorted into an ugly scowl. "You'll see soon enough. Untie him and take him to the bed." He ordered in an extremely cold tone.

Ekko's eyes widened and he started trembling violently as the man moved to obey the order. As Sylas removed the rope from his wrists, the boy folded in on himself and his eyes were closed shut as if he feared being stabbed by some invisible knife. The teen didn't even dare move once he was free. He had already enfuriated the devil and he didn't want to find out what would happen if he crossed the line one more time.

Sylas picked the unmoving boy up and walked to the bed. Then, he simply lay Ekko on top of the covers. The teen noticed, horrified, that they were all slowly gathering up around him. His breathing became irregular. He knew what was about to happen. And it terrified him to no end. His whole body was as cold as a winter night and his eyes were as wide as the full moon outside.

"Take his clothes off." Viktor ordered.

Ekko's fear made him act on impulse and he tried defending himself by wrapping his arms around his chest. But it was no use. He felt big hands grab his legs and wrists to prevent him from struggling. He closed his eyes as his shirt and pants were violently removed, followed by his underwear.

Trembling in absolute terror and shame, the teen was now completely naked. His face would have been bright red, weren't his skin tone so dark. Being exposed in that manner in front of strangers made his throat feel unbelievably tight. His chest rose and fell as he let out irregular breaths. He could feel the men's hungry eyes roaming across his naked body, examining him from head to toe. A deep fear erupted inside him. And his captors had barely done anything to him. With his heart racing at miles per second, Ekko felt the men pinning him down on the mattress.

Zed smiled meanly as he studied the kid's lower region. "He's quite big."

"The kid's black. What were you expecting?" Said TF with a grin.

"His hole is deliciously small and tight, though." Commented Graves.

"Silence. I need to teach this boy a lesson first." Viktor said, darkly.

In desperation, Ekko wished he had never awakened the lion inside this man. He was like a monument. Colossal, unmovable, cold and uncaring. He had never been so terrified of him as of now. The boy closed his eyes and his nails dug on the covers under him in anticipation. Sweat dripped down his forehead. He felt like this was his death sentence. He wouldn't live to see another day.

But this... This felt so much worse than death...

Suddenly, two large hands gripped his legs and pulled him towards the foot of the bed. Then they carelessly let go. He opened his eyes in surprise and saw the devil unbuttoning his pants as he glared daggers in his direction. Ekko's entire body froze.

It was going to happen. Again.

The child covered his face with both hands in shame and desperation as his entire body began shivering. His heart felt like it was going to come out of his chest.

There was nothing he could do.

Nothing...

Viktor scowled deeply at his accomplices. "What are you doing? I want to look him in the eyes."

Ekko quivered when the men pried his hands away from his face and he felt rope around his wrists. But the sensation wasn't familiar. This rope was much thicker and coarse and it slightly prickled his skin. He quickly looked up and saw the other end of the rope being tied to the posts at the head of the bed.

His attention immediately shifted to his lower half as his legs were lifted up. He observed the devil placing them on his shoulders as he aligned his erect cock with his tight entrance.

The boy's golden terrified eyes met with the man's unforgiving dark ones.

With despair taking over his entire being, Ekko dug his nails on his palms as he whispered. "Please... Don't do this..." Even if he knew it would do absolutely nothing to stop this monster.

Viktor saw the pure terror in the kid's eyes, tears threatening to fall at any moment. His words were like ice cracking. "You will remember this moment for the rest of your life."

And then, without a single warning or without even giving the boy a second to think, the man violently thrust his member against the tight hole.

No lube. No preparation. No patience.

Not a care in the world.

He just thrust into the poor child with all the strength he could muster.

A deafening scream cut through the silence of the night. Ekko's face became contorted in agonizing pain. The tears came running down his face like a damn breaking. White hot pain shot through his lower half and traversed up his spine. He arched his back and his wrists pulled against the rough rope. His nails dug furiously into his palms.

He heard laughter. The men surrounding him cackled meanly at his distress.

Viktor thrust violently once again, rocking the boy's tense body. Ekko became as rigid as stone and he let out another blood curdling scream.

It happened again.

And again.

Ekko couldn't think. He couldn't utter a word. He could only let out agonizing cries of despair as the stone-hard cock of his rapist cut through his insides like a sword.

Horrified, the boy felt a fluid running down his hole. Had the man already came? So fast?

But he was wrong ... He quickly realized the liquid wasn't from his assailant at all. It was coming from inside him. It was blood. His own blood.

If the boy's skin were lighter, he would have become completely livid. Throwing his head back, he contorted his body violently and more tears escaped his eyes. The man kept on pounding into him hard, paying no mind to his injured insides.

"Damn. You blew him up, Vik." Commented TF who, like the others had been silent for a bit, just watching.

Viktor didn't reply immediately. He looked at Ekko's mortified eyes and at his tear streaked face. "He's lucky his blood will serve as lube. He should be thankful."

Graves smirked and approached the suffering boy. "You hear that? Say thank you, you insolent kid. Thank Viktor for bursting you open!" And he laughed.

Thank him?

Ekko could barely process what was happening. He almost couldn't think. His eyes were clenched shut, his face was all wet with never-ending tears, beads of sweat ran down his naked torso. The pain emanating from his rectum was like a hot ember burning inside him. It extended to his back, to his chest, to the tips of his fingers and toes.

He was being completely torn apart from the inside out.

His entire world. Was pain.

Amused, Sylas raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to thank him or what, kid? If you can use your mouth to scream, you can use it to talk."

Graves smiled and added. "Or for something else..."

Zed eyed the boy's tear streaked face and closed eyes as an idea formed in his mind. "Let's see how well you can suck." He said, beginning to unbutton his pants.

Ekko's heart almost stopped.

No.

They were going to...

No... Why...?

The monsters got closer and closer. The pain through his lower half was indescribable. The devil at the foot of the bed thrust into him once again, pushing hard against his bloody inner walls, rocking him and the bed violently. It earned a scream of absolute agony from him. And his blood ran cold when he realized how easy it would be for Zed to get his way with his mouth wide open like that.

A freezing sensation took over his muscles. His sweat was like drops of winter rain dripping down his forehead. He began shivering violently as if he were convulsing.

He was a sitting duck. Just waiting for these people to do whatever they wanted to him. A fear and helplessness far greater than his pain erupted in his chest.

Completely taken over by despair, the boy pleaded inside his mind. "Mom, dad. Please help me...!" He felt warm tears running down his face as shadows towered over him, obscuring the light from the ceiling. His insides were ripped open once more and just as he parted his lips to let out another cry, one of the monsters stuck their cock deep down his throat.

The boy started feeling unwelcome hands all over his body. One wrapped itself around his member and began toying with it. Thick fingers roughly pinched and tugged at his nipples. Someone fondled his hips and a ghostly tongue started softly licking his belly. His head was rocked back and forth as Zed violated his mouth. Instead of screams of despair, Ekko now let out loud moans of pain each time his rectum was cut through.

The teen wanted to fight, protest, beg, shout. But he was alone. He knew he was just a sixteen year old boy against a group of men double his size. There was just nothing he could do. He simply stood still and took the abuse as tears kept on falling down like a river. His heart beat wildly inside his chest.

This was his punishment. He was being punished for attempting to run away from these monsters...

It.. It wasn't fair...

His abusers kept at it for what seemed like forever. The foul smell of sweat and the men's pubic hairs filled the air. It greatly worsened Ekko's nausea. As if the disgusting member invading his mouth wasn't enough to make him want to vomit. He felt kisses being applied to his stomach and someone took one of his nipples into their mouth sending chills down his spine.

"I hate this. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it!" Ekko thought in despair.

Soon, the men started taking turns. Zed left his mouth, thankfully without cumming inside it like Graves had done before. However a few drops of pre-cum had managed to fall on his tongue. Viktor finally withdrew his member from the small bloodied hole and left the spot to let "someone else have a go at the boy". He approached the teen's face, still glaring down at him and roughly gripped his chin. Ekko let out a small grunt of discomfort.

"You're NEVER getting away from me... Never. Understand?" He affirmed firmly as his stare cut through him. There was a cruel satisfaction in his eyes when he saw the boy tense up even more and his eyes widening. He slowly licked the salty tears that were falling down his face and he brought their mouths closer. He began by gently biting the boy's lower lip. Then, he forced him into a deep kiss.

Ekko could feel his whole body being fondled. From his nipples being sucked to his member being jacked off. Someone had gotten their fat cock into his tiny hole and it stung terribly. But he didn't know how: Viktor managed to be more invasive than any of the others no matter what he did. His strong presence was undeniable and unavoidable and made him feel very small. With nowhere to go, the child closed his eyes and accepted the unwelcome tongue that eventually entered his mouth.

During the next half hour, there were many tears and loud grunts. The child's bodily orifices were assaulted non stop. To Ekko's horror, two of the assailants filled his anal cavity to the brim with their juice. It stung. His nipples became sore from being twisted, turned and pulled at so much. His mouth felt salty from the droplets of pre-cum. Everything smelled of sweat and blood.

Eventually, Ekko felt the hands withdrawing and letting him go. The boy let out a grief filled sob. He closed his red and puffy eyes and carefully licked his dry and chapped lips. He breathed in deeply, trying to ignore the sickening smell in the room. But at least it was over.

Or so he thought...

It wasn't long before the poor kid felt the evil presences come back. He fearfully opened up his eyes. And he immediately regretted doing so...

He saw one of his captors holding... My God... Was that a sex toy?

Was that what the mysterious cardboard boxes were holding...?

This... This couldn't be real...

He couldn't make a move as he was surrounded once again. He could discern Viktor's dark eyes observing him from above. The one named Sylas approached him and easily held his legs apart. That swift movement alone let Ekko know that he was even stronger than Viktor. TF was holding a string of extremely large beads which he started inserting into his small hole.

"No, please...!" He begged.

But he almost didn't have time to finish.

The boy felt an extremely sharp pain on his left cheek that made him see stars. His head was involuntarily thrown to the side. The loud sound echoed around the room, catching the attention of the other men. They stopped what they were doing to send looks of surprise in his direction. Viktor was glaring at the child below him with his hand still in the air.

"QUIET!" He demanded. "I'm tired of your screaming and your begging and your disobedience. You're going to learn that WE give the orders here and YOU follow! IS THAT CLEAR?"

Ekko grit his teeth to withstand the throbbing on his cheek and tears formed in his eyes. He didn't answer immediately and that only made the man even more furious. Another heavy slap was heard and the kid let out a yelp of pain as his other cheek was struck heavily.

"ANSWER ME WHEN I TALK TO YOU!" Viktor shouted, the thick vein on his forehead turning blue-ish.

Now trembling and trying to fold in on himself, the teen hurried to give him an answer, stumbling on his words. "Y-yes..."

Viktor seemed satisfied and lowered his arm. But that simple movement made Ekko flinch. And it made the man smile on the inside. He looked at his comrades and with a nod of his head, ordered them to proceed.

The teen tensed up and contorted his body as the large beads were pushed into his anus. The metal and string were cold and unforgiving and it hurt badly when they came into contact with his wounded walls. It was like a lit match being forced into him and then lighting his rectum on fire. He felt more blood pouring out of his hole. The poor boy screamed and moaned in absolute agony throughout the whole process. His nails dug into his palms until they too supported injuries and he tasted the saltiness of his own tears when they descend down into his mouth. Finally, the last bead was pushed in.

Ekko shifted his body uncomfortably. His rectum was painfully filled with remains of cum and the nasty string of beads. He could feel them buried deep inside him and the juice and blood were leaking from his hole.

"Filled up like a turkey." Graves commented with a mean smirk, slapping the side of his ass cheek. It made Ekko let out a yelp of pain.

"I haven't finished yet." Ekko's body became stone as soon as he heard that voice once again. He saw Viktor position himself right in front of his face. His cock was half erect and leaking pre-cum. The man didn't waste any time. He grabbed his penis and approached it to Ekko's lips. The frightened boy didn't even try to resist. He opened his mouth with disgust and it was immediately invaded. He thought it would last forever, but it didn't.

Viktor simply thrust into his throat a few times. The warmth and softness of Ekko's mouth made him get hard fast. This felt rushed. And the teen found it weird. Viktor or Jayce or whoever the man was, was going somewhere with this. And it made him feel a freezing cold at the pit of his stomach...

When his rapist withdrew from his mouth, his cock was almost throbbing. Ekko saw the man's hand reaching for his dreads and his head was pulled up. It didn't take long before a white and sticky substance landed on his face, contrasting immensely with his dark skin tone. It felt slimy. The smell was nauseating. The teen, scared and disgusted, clenched his mouth and eyes shut. The cum kept on covering his face and some droplets stuck to his hair. The poor child felt a tightness in his throat.

Even when it came to this monster, this was the lowest of low...

He was being claimed by him. Like a slave. Like an object...

He was his owner. And he... He was his subservient pet...

Laughter erupted around him once again.

Shame burned inside Ekko's chest and tears threatened to fall. He wished for a hole on the ground to hide in. Or to simply disappear into thin air...

Once he was finished, Viktor roughly threw his head back onto the mattress. He slowly put his pants back on while the rest of the men did the same. Ekko didn't open his eyes. He could hear them making remarks about how tight he was, how hot his skin became while they had a go at him. And laughing. He could hear a lot of laughing.

He felt the devil approaching his face and his whole body shuddered. He clenched his eyes shut as the man whispered creepily in his ear. "You belong to me, little one. Never forget that."

Ekko felt the monster distancing himself from him and then heard steps crossing the room. The door was slammed shut.

At last.

They had left...

He finally opened his eyes.

Two warm tears streamed down the boy's face. He began sobbing in anguish.

Everything hurt. Everything.

Every single muscle was sore. The pain on his backside was immense and it spread out to every inch of his body. The blood was no longer flowing down his torn hole, but most of it had dried, leaving an uncomfortable sensation. The beads filled him up painfully. He was covered in cum. The air stenched of sweat.

He had been cruelly torn apart from the inside out. Beaten. Completely humiliated.

The child let the tears fall freely down his face and they wet the mattress below him. His entire body trembled in fear, shame and pain.

The tear inside his rectum wasn't the only injury he had sustained. Even deeper wounds had opened inside his chest.

His body had been broken.

His soul had been shattered...


	14. The Masked Man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a softer and sweeter chapter to give you guys and myself a break from the emotional wreck that was the last one.  
> A new character is also introduced.  
> I hope you like it and please keep on leaving your wonderful comments! 🙂

The door opened. Viktor, who was waiting with Sylas in the hallway, lifted his eyes. "The kid's still awake, right?" He asked coldly.

TF was exiting the room and replied with amusement. "Yep. He's too scared to even dare close his eyes."

Viktor squinted his eyes. "Good. He better be aware that the torment won't end until we're finished."

"You sure know how to get your message across, Vik. It's been three days and he hasn't had a second of peace." Commented Sylas.

Suddenly, the three men heard a noise downstairs. The entrance door opened. TF blinked in slight puzzlement. "Graves? You're back already?" He shouted.

There was no response.

"Zed?" Called Sylas.

Nothing.

All they could suddenly hear were steps coming up the stairs. The men started feeling slightly uneasy. Sylas got into a fighting stance and Viktor immediately reached for the gun inside his pocket.

However, when the mysterious person finally arrived at the last flight of stairs...

"Oh! It's you!" Exclaimed TF in surprise. "We thought you weren't going to show up. You missed almost all the fun!" He added with a smirk. Meanwhile, Sylas relaxed his muscles once again and Viktor slowly withdrew his gun.

"We didn't hear any keys, just the door opening." Commented Sylas. "That idiot Graves forgot to lock it again..."

The man slowly walked up to them as if he had all the time in the world. Viktor furrowed his eyebrows and inquired, not sounding interested in the slightest. "So? That business you had to take care of in the city? Did it go well?"

The newcomer simply replied in a rich and smooth voice. "Yes. Better than I expected." He looked to his left, at the door to Ekko's room. "Is the kid in there?"

Viktor's eyes also focused on the wooden door. "Yes, go ahead. You know what to do. He has to pay." He said coldly.

The man didn't say anything this time. He simply grabbed the handle and opened the door, almost without making a sound.

\--------------

Ekko lifted his tired eyes with difficulty to look at the door that was being opened. He felt so unbelievably weak... His vision was hazy and the room seemed to be spinning. His head was throbbing. Every single muscle was horribly sore. The suffering he felt on the lower part of his body was immense.

A deep fear took over his weary body. They were back? Again? He had hoped they would be done... He had hoped with all his strength that TF had been the last one...

But him hoping had been in vain...

His eyes widened and his body tensed when he lay his eyes upon the figure that had entered the room. Was his exhausted mind playing tricks on him? This was... Yet another one of Viktor's henchmen?

The man was tall, thin and there was confidence in each step he took. His arm and both legs were covered in some kind of weird armor that made it seem like they were made out of wood. But the thing that stood out the most was the bone white mask that covered his face. The eye holes were small and a ominous wide grin was drawn near the bottom, where his mouth would be. Ekko felt chills down his spine when he noted the stranger's eyes observing him. His heart was pounding wildly inside his chest. He almost gasped when he began walking in his direction.

\--------------------

He knew they had been hurting him for the past three days.

At first he had received a call, inviting him to join "them". Because they "thought" he would like "it". Even if it was just for the torture aspect of it.

There was a twisted beauty in the art of torture?

Perhaps.

But not when the victim was an innocent child...

But they had never realized that. They truly, firmly believed him to be one of them. He knew he was a good actor. He had always been. He just lamented he had to waste his talents in dealing with such low-lives. However, he was determined to accomplish his goal. Even if doing that implied dealing with these people. 

Upon answering his phone, he had scowled, but he hadn't refused to come over. It just so happens that when he was getting ready to leave, he had received yet another call. An angry one. Apparently, Viktor's new pet had escaped into the woods.

And a part of him hoped it would be for good. It would save him quite some work.

But, as fate would have it, that scum assassin had been called upon too. Strange. He hadn't been around the gang for at least a year. He had ended up finding the kid. As expected...

There were many things that Zed "wasn't". But one thing he definitely "was", and he would never in his life say it out loud, for he would only be contributing to raise that nitwit's cockiness, was being good at his job.

And still... he was "good". Not "great".

Zed was an efficient killer: Find the target. Eliminate it. Clean cut. Use an easily disposable weapon. Disappear without a trace.

But he didn't understand the beauty and subtlety of the art of murder. He much preferred giving them a slow and painful death. Looking into their eyes as the life was drained from them. The blood running down their torsos from their open necks. All their sins being payed for in a magnificent grotesque display as they drew their last breaths.

How he loved it...

When he received the third call, he had been told the kid would suffer the consequences of what he had done. It made him grimace. He had been around Viktor for a while. He had seen many things. And he knew very well that angering that monster was a big mistake. "Suffering" was an understatement. Once Viktor were through with him, the poor kid would be absolutely destroyed on the inside and out.

He didn't want to show up now. At least until he had the knowledge that they were through with whatever punishment they see fit for the child. He didn't want to be there to witness such savagery. Much less be invited to join in.

And so he waited. Three whole days. He wondered, during that time, what they were doing to the kid. They were raping him. That's for sure. But what other torments were they making him go through?

He found out soon enough.

On the dawn of the fourth day, he received the last call from Viktor. The kid, who he now was sure was named Ekko, had suffered a terrible fate. For the last three days he hadn't slept at all. They had made sure of that by continuously abusing him. He hadn't been allowed to eat. He had been given the minimal water needed to stay alive. But no more than that.

Animals...

Viktor had asked him when he would be done with "the business he had to take care of" and he had almost forgotten he had given him that excuse.

He told him he would be there that very day. So he got into his car and soon was on his way.

The house in the woods was a long drive away. More than one hour. It truly was hard to find if one didn't know exactly where to look. But of course, unlike the ocasional wanderer, he knew. The man lifted his eyes to observe the path ahead. The dust of the earth that the car lifted into the air formed almost a mist in front of the windshield. However, he could still distinguish it clearly. There it was, at the end of the path flanked by trees: The old house. A prison far away from the world, holding an innocent suffering unspeakable horrors. He furrowed his eyebrows and his lips contorted into a frown as he got increasingly closer to it. Then, the vehicle came to a stop.

He stepped out and headed for the door. He wasn't surprised to find that it wasn't locked. Graves wasn't exactly the most responsible or the brightest person around... There was no doubt in his mind that he was responsible for this... He could hear voices coming from the upper floor. But as soon as he stepped inside, a heavy silence fell over the house...

\--------------

When he entered the room, he took a look at the frightened child that was lying down on the bed. The boy's eyes were wide and terrified. They were red rimmed and bloodshot from crying and the bags under them were as dark as night. He was laying on filthy sheets, completely naked and that let him see the heavy tension in every muscle. He was in an even worse state than he had imagined. There were horrible bruises, probably resulting from kicks, on his stomach. His dark skin was overlayed with blade cuts which he imagined could only be Zed's doing. The wounds were still fresh. Some looked infected, others were still letting out blood. But that wasn't all. It looked like Graves had been using his chest, legs and arms as his personal ashtray. There were deep nail marks on his hips from being firmly held in place and the sheets around his lower half were soiled with cum and dried blood.

It was an horrific sight to behold... The poor kid had been beaten within an inch of his life and had been abused to his limits. 

Their cruelty really knew no bounds...

The man took a step forward and the teen immediately reacted in traumatic anticipation. His whole body tensed even more and he folded in on himself, his nails clawing at the dirty sheets below him. He let out a weak gasp of panic and his eyes widened in terror. He tried walking quietly and slowly not to frighten him. But it harnessed the exact opposite reaction. The kid percieved him as a predator, gradually approaching its prey. His eyes darted around the room in panic and he began shivering violently.

"It's OK. I'm not going to hurt you." He said in his soothing voice, trying to reassure him. But it didn't work. He could almost hear the poor boy's heart racing inside his chest. His breathing was ragged. He looked like a small cornered animal, waiting his demise.

Once he got close to the bed, he knelt down to make himself appear smaller. "It's ok. I won't do anything bad to you. I promise." He tried once again. The kid, clearly disbelieving, kept looking at him in absolute terror with his tragic red rimmed eyes, while trying to create some distance between them.

The man carefully reached out with his hand and the reaction from the boy was absolutely heartbreaking. His whole body jolted in panic. He curled in on himself and hid his face, as if he expected to be struck. Even when the man's hand started petting his head soothingly, he kept on trembling overwhelmingly as if he were submerged in freezing water. Tears of panic broke from his eyes and he let out a shrill whimper of such despair that it chilled him to the core. 

God. This poor kid... He'd been through so much... 

"Come on now. I'm a friend. I'm not here to hurt you..." He promised softly as he kept on stroking the boy's dirty dreadlocks. A bath would solve that and would potentially make him feel better. But he doubted the kid would be physically able to get up. Or willing to do so. Right now he needed water, food and rest.

Ekko's trauma was so profound that he hadn't even heard the man's words. He anxiously waited the moment he would cease to caress the top of his head. The teen was sure he was only taking a good first look at him. He would then, without a doubt, hold him down violently, beat him, pry his legs open and force himself on him. Why else would he be here?

However, that didn't... happen.

The man's hand retreated and he didn't feel rough fingers all over his body. What?

Scared, yet curious, the boy opened his eyes to see what the man was doing. He observed as he reached into his pocket and retrieved something that was wrapped in a white paper napkin. He slowly unwrapped it to reveal a fresh bread with cheese. It looked so tasty and the smell was divine... His weakened and starved stomach growled loudly.

"I brought this for you. Take it. I know they have been starving you." The stranger said, bringing the bread closer to him.

But Ekko didn't move. He studied with suspicion the man and the food he was offering. The creepy mask hid his true face and his real emotions. The bread was probably drugged with something that would make him easier to dominate. Or worse... This was too good to be true. It felt like a cruel trick. If he accepted it, he would be badly hurt for sure...

The man could clearly see Ekko's mistrust and fear in his eyes and in the tension of his muscles. Displaying incredible patience, he tried yet again. "It's all right. It's not poisoned. I made it just for you. Please accept it."

Ekko was really unsure. He didn't believe or trust this man. He was one of "them"... But it had been so long since he had eaten. He was so unbelievably hungry... Should he risk it?

The boy observed the man for just a bit longer before making a move. Without taking his eyes off of him, he began slowly moving his arm in the direction of the bread. The man didn't try to attack him, neither did he do anything to stop him. Ekko carefully grabbed the food and retrieved it slowly, never letting the stranger out of his line of sight. Once the delicious bread was near his mouth he took a bite out of it.

The man observed as the boy's eyes lit up. He smiled behind the mask. Just a little bit of food was such a blessing to this poor child after everything he had been through... He couldn't do much without the others finding out, but he would try his best for the boy's sake. Like he had done for others before him.

Without wasting time, the man got up, retrieved his keys and walked to the bathroom door. He had to unlock it, for Viktor had wanted to make sure the teen wouldn't just go ahead and drink from the faucet. That monster...

Ekko heard the sound of running water and nervously awaited the stranger's return. What would happen now? But he didn't need to have feared... The man came back with the toothbrush holder full of water. He knelt down in front of him and before handing him the cup, he retrieved two pills from his pocket. "Here's some painkillers. They will help you."

Ekko wasn't entirely willing to trust the man, but what other choice did he have? This could, once again, be just some kind of date rape drug... But if he kept on refusing, this stranger could very well get angry and just force him to take the pills either way. He wasn't in a position to argue. And he didn't want to be hurt further... In the last days he had already been through hell and back...

The teen reluctantly accepted the painkillers and the cup. The man's fake face was expressionless, but Ekko could swear he seemed almost pleased behind the mask!? Was it his imagination?

Once the boy was finished he handed the man the toothbrush holder back. "You're going to feel better soon, you'll see. I'm sorry that I can't do anything about the cuts and wounds. It's not easy to sneak in a lot of stuff at once."

Ekko furrowed his eyebrows. Was this man... Truly trying to help him? It seemed almost like an impossible thing. If he wasn't on Viktor's side... Who was he? Why was he doing this?

There was a moment of silence as the man reflected upon something important.

"Look, I know it's a lot to ask. You've been touched very intimately for more than a week now. You don't want anyone messing with your body at the moment. I understand that." Said the man. "But would it be all right for me to examine you? I'm planning on bringing some healing supplies tomorrow and I need to know what exactly I'll have to treat... If it's too early, I understand. You can just say no. It's your decision."

He was letting him... Decide? Ever since he had gotten here he hadn't been given a choice. They just did whatever they pleased with his body, however they wanted, whenever they wanted. He was just their toy to use and abuse. To hell with how he felt about it all...

This felt like a blessing. But the decision was tough. The boy was at war within himself and the man could see that. One part of him REALLY didn't want to be touched at the moment. He was still trying to cope with the feral abuse of the past days... But the other part of him wouldn't mind having these wounds treated... Everything hurt so much. The man saw the uncertainty and fear in the child's eyes and reminded him. "Your decision. I'm not forcing you."

Ekko closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Yes... Please..." He said weakly.

The man waited a little bit to see if the teen's decision was final. He seemed to accept it. So, his eyes started roaming his body carefully and analytically. He wanted to avoid touching him as much as possible. Ekko wasn't sure about this. The man didn't have that lustful and hungry look in his eyes that the rest of them had when looking at his small body. But he still watched the stranger's every move with fear. Deep down, this still felt like a trap. The man was so close to him. He could very well be bluffing and make him believe he only wanted to help, only to betray him and tear him apart later...

The man looked at everything in detail and grimaced at some of the wounds. He wasn't sure but some of them looked like they would need stitching to fully heal. But he couldn't risk such a thing. When he got to look at the boy's backside, he noticed the teen tensed up and his eyes transmited a feeling of panic. "I'm not going to touch you. Promise. I'm only looking." He said, raising both his open palms to prove his claim.

When he looked back at the boy's wounded hole, he squinted his eyes in mild confusion. "What is that thing that's coming out? Are those... Beads?" 

He noticed the boy's eyes watered as he nodded weakly. "Yeah... It hurts..." He said in a husky voice.

The man's eyebrows furrowed behind the mask. "Do you... Do you want me to remove them...? I promise I'll be gentle." He offered reluctantly. The answer would more than likely be a no.

The boy's eyes widened in response. He did want them removed for good. More than anything. They were so unbelievably painful and intrusive. Deciding to put his fear and reluctance aside for a little bit, he begged. "Oh, please. Take them off! I can't stand them... They just keep on removing them and putting them back in..."

The man was surprised at how decisive he had been all of a sudden. The beads must really be unbearable. But he didn't comment on it. He simply nodded. He acted slowly and let the boy observe his every move so not to frighten him. When he grabbed the end of the string, he saw the teen's fists clenching as he prepared himself. He looked him in the eyes for a brief moment to know if he could proceed and the boy's nervous yet resolute look gave him the answer he needed. He began pulling the string carefully. It earned a moan of discomfort from the kid and he contorted his body. The man grimaced. He didn't know how the child's body responded to the beads. He didn't know whether to remove them slowly or fast, for there was a risk of him orgasming off of it. And if he did, the boy could be lead to believe he had done it deliberately just for the pleasure of watching him cum. It would only reduce the chances of the kid ever trusting him.

"Look, child. Would you like me to do it fast or slow? I don't achieve sexual satisfaction out of making children cum... I'd rather not have it happen in my presence..." He explained, feeling awkward.

Ekko got the message. "Please be gentle. It hurts when they force it out..." He requested.

The process took a while. The string was long and the beads were solid and large. The child's entrance was SO tight. The man wondered how they could even fit. The boy whimpered in pain when one of the beads touched the wound inside his rectum particularly hard and the man tried consoling him. "Shhh... It's ok. They're almost out." He said sweetly. 

Suddenly Ekko's eyes opened and widened. "Wait! When they discover they were removed without their permission, they're going to punish me for it!" He panicked.

"Don't worry about that. I had to remove them because the string broke." The man said with a smirk behind the mask.

Ekko's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "It... It did?" And he moaned in discomfort once again as the last bead was finally pulled out. He sighed with relief as the sensation of fullness and invasion left him.

"There we go." Said the man with the beads now in hand. They were bloodied and most of the string was covered in dried cum. How on earth had they managed to force something as big as this up the rectum of a sixteen year old? It was beyond his comprehension. They had to have forced it extremely hard, causing him a world of suffering. But he didn't dwell on these thoughts too long.

From one of his pockets, he retrieved a pocket knife. Seeing the blade popping out of its compartment made Ekko tense up in traumatic fear. In his mind he could only imagine Zed crudely opening cuts all over his body and chuckling everytime he let out a yelp of pain. But the man didn't do anything to harm him with it. He simply cut a bit of the string and then withdrew it. With it now weakened, it wasn't too hard for the man to force it to break with his own hands.

"How careless of me. I pulled it so hard trying to make you cum, it broke. I guess they can't use them on you anymore. Oh, how will I ever explain this to Viktor?" He joked.

This made Ekko almost smile. It really felt like the man was being genuine... It wouldn't be hard in the slightest for him to pin him down and have his way with him. But he had chosen not to... Instead, he had fed him, given him water and calmed his pain. The poor child hoped from the bottom of his heart that this wasn't a dream or that the man wouldn't turn against him later...

He suddenly felt his eyelids get heavy. Now that some of the suffering had dwindled, he felt like he could at last fall asleep. The man got the message. He grabbed the covers that had been pulled back and used them to gently cover the child's naked body. The boy moved softly under them to get comfortable and gave him a grateful look.

The man sat on the edge of the bed, beside him. Slowly and carefully, he caressed the teen's hair. "You're exhausted. Go to sleep. Do not fear, I'll watch over you." He promised sweetly.

The boy gave him a genuine sad smile. "Wait. Could you tell me your name first...? I'm Ekko. But you probably already knew that..." 

"Oh, where are my manners? I didn't even introduce myself." The man scolded himself." It truly is a pleasure to meet you, young one. My name is Jhin."

The boy smiled thinly upon hearing his name. "Jhin... Thank you. For everything..."

The poor boy was slowly lulled to sleep at the rhythm of Jhin's sweet and gentle strokes on his hair.

It had been so long since someone had been kind to him...


	15. Healing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Another chapter! :) Now my University work is over and I finally had time to write. Yay! <3  
> I have only two things to say about this chapter: The K/DA girls are badass. And Jhin is a Boss.  
> I hope you guys enjoy. Please, keep on leaving your amazing comments! <3

It was early morning. The Autumn cold could be felt all around and the weak sunlight was shining amidst the trees. Jhin had parked his car a bit further from the house so he could take a morning walk through the woods. In his pockets, like he had promised, he had some healing supplies to treat the boy's wounds. He sighed sadly, wondering how much suffering a teenager could withstand before breaking down completely. He wanted to prevent him from collapsing and reaching the bottom before it was too late and his mind and body were damaged beyond repair. It had happened before... One of the kids he had tried to help, had actually lost his mind. It had been absolutely awful to witness. The isolation, the physical and mental abuse had been too much and his mind and body couldn't handle it anymore. He could remember too well his wide open green eyes and the tears falling down his cheeks as he trembled violently in his delirium. The boy ended up dying a week later, in Jhin's arms, succumbing to the injuries and illness. Viktor's reaction had made him want to stab him to death.

"Ah. Pity. Guess I'll have to find another one. One not as weak and pathetic as this one."

The poor child who had been used and abused past his limits had been deemed weak and pathetic by the very man who had destroyed his life... Jhin had failed miserably to protect and help him. It was also his fault.

Now, as he walked through the woods, he remembered the vow he had made to himself: To never fail another kid like he had failed that one. And he wouldn't fail Ekko. He wouldn't allow this boy to be destroyed.

The man wasn't in a hurry to reach the house. He didn't know whether one of them was raping the kid or not at the moment and he would much rather not hear the poor child's screams. However, later rather than sooner, he ended up at the place. As everything seemed quiet, he felt confident to enter.

After inspecting the kitchen and finding no one, Jhin came across Zed and TF sitting in the living room. In front of them, on top of the coffee table, there was a set of cards and a collection of blades. "Greetings, gentlemen." He politely said.

The other two turned their heads in his direction. TF tipped his hat and Zed gave him a sassy smirk. "Well, well, well. If it isn't the artist himself. Did you come looking for ideas for your sad little paintings?"

Jhin raised his eyebrows behind the mask. "Unfortunately, no. I have plenty ideas for my sad little paintings at home. I was invited to come here by Viktor, just the same as you."

Zed laughed. "Oh, yes of course. Viktor just HAD to invite the starving artist into the group. I forgot."

"Viktor knows how to recognize talent when he sees it. Wouldn't you agree?" Asked Jhin.

"Viktor makes some very questionable decisions sometimes." He spat, examining Jhin from head to toe. "But I have to agree with you: I'm here, after all."

"Yes. I have to recognize his decisions aren't always the best. I just can't imagine what was going on inside his head when he thought about asking certain people to join." Said Jhin triumphantly, looking Zed in the eyes.

The assassin picked up one of his sharpened blades and admired it. "Viktor likes a job well done. I'm quick and efficient. You like playing around with your food."

"Some people are simply too small minded to understand my ways..." Jhin calmly threw at him, smiling behind the mask.

Zed snorted. "You really think you're so talented and smart. But you have the brain of a bird." Zed mocked him with a cocky smirk across his face.

But Jhin didn't miss a beat. "It truly is a shame I have such a small brain. But at least I was blessed with one." He said to Zed in his calm and soothing tone.

The assassin furrowed his eyebrows and grit his teeth. How dare that scum self-entitled artist insult him like that?

"Allow me to clarify a thing for you: you know why you were asked to join, by Viktor? There are many assassins who are just the same as you. They're as nimble as the wind and as precise as an eagle. But you're the only one who is available most of the time and their schedules are full. Because people have eyes and common sense and can distinguish the best and the worst in their field..."

At that moment he had to stop talking because a knife was put to his throat. However he didn't even flinch. Zed had gotten up and approached him very fast. His face was almost touching Jhin's. His eyes were almost sparking as he glared daggers at him and his mouth was stuck in a deep scowl. His breaths were deep and fast." Don't you ever talk to me like that. You pathetic artist..."

This earned a smirk from Jhin. "Getting insecure, are we? Hiding behind a blade against an unarmed man."

"Like you're any better, hiding your true face behind a mask..." He spat bitterly.

"As if you didn't wear one yourself." Jhin said. "Don't think I don't know that you wear a mask when doing your dirty jobs. You're afraid to be recognized. If you were as good as you say you are, you wouldn't need it, would you?"

"Intelligent people know they should shut up when they have a knife at their throat." Growled Zed, losing his patience.

"Intelligent people recognize a coward when they see one." Threw Jhin with his confidence and wit.

Just as the blade pushed harder against his skin, TF slowly yet firmly, put a hand on Zed's shoulder. "Calm down, Zed. We're not supposed to get into trouble. Lower the weapon."

Zed didn't move. He stayed in the same position, giving Jhin a venomous look. That fake grin of the mask was taunting him. It fit the owner perfectly. And it made his blood boil.

"Come on, Zed. You don't want to upset Viktor. He seems about to explode lately." Warned TF.

This seemed to have some effect on Zed. His face didn't emote it, but his body language did. He breathed deeply and his blade started slowly retreating. Jhin stood as tall and proud as ever as he observed the assassin taking a step back.

"Have a good day, gentlemen." Said Jhin as if nothing had happened. He ignored Zed glaring daggers at him and TF's curious stare and exited the room.

"Khada Jhin, you like hiding your face. But is that ALL you're hiding...?" Zed whispered to himself as a bitter feeling took over his entire body.

Jhin headed for the stairs and on his way there, he crossed with Viktor. They exchanged glances and acknowledge each other's presence with a simple "good morning". No more words were spoken. There was nothing else to be said. Viktor followed Jhin with his eyes for a few moments before getting his mind off of him and continuing going his way.

With his usual grace and poise, Jhin climbed the stairs and approached the door to the boy's room. Slowly and carefully, he unlocked it and stepped inside. While locking the door behind him, the man instinctively looked at the bed to check on the boy. And surely enough, there he was, lying on his side, facing the door. His eyes were closed and his arms were relaxed as he was in a deep sleep. But Jhin was saddened when he realized the teen didn't look at peace. He was breathing fast and his eyes were clenched shut in distress. His body moved around a little bit as if he were struggling weakly against an invisible enemy. It was clear he was having a nightmare. Jhin would be surprised if he didn't have any, after all the horrible things he had been through. Taking pity on the suffering child, he approached the bed and sat on the edge beside him, like he had done last time. He started rubbing his shoulder soothingly, trying to calm him down. "It's ok. It's only a bad dream. It'll be over soon."

Suddenly the boy stopped his weak struggle and his breathing became calmer. Jhin didn't know if the nightmare had come to an end or if he had caused this unintentionally by rubbing his shoulder. But whatever was the case, Ekko was about to wake up. The man waited patiently. Slowly, the boy's eyes began opening. Jhin hoped that his unexpected presence wouldn't frighten the poor boy. At first, Ekko simply blinked a few times before taking notice of the figure sitting in front of him. His body became tense, his eyes widened and he quickly looked up. Once the teen's gaze met with his, Jhin spoke. "Good morning."

Upon recognizing the mask and the voice, the boy, who was still in the process of waking up, relaxed a little bit. "Oh...huh...It's you. Good morning..." He stumbled a bit on his words. Jhin could see in his eyes that he didn't trust him fully yet. But it was OK. He wasn't expecting him to.

The wounds from the recent animalistic abuses he had to endure, both on the inside and the outside, were still fresh and open. The boy was terrified of the smallest movement. Jhin knew Ekko was still expecting to be attacked at any second, regardless of his promises of protecting him. But little by little, he hoped he could gain the hurt teen's trust.

"Were you having a nightmare, child?" Jhin inquired sweetly.

The poor boy's eyes were shadowed by sorrow. He hesitated for a long while before delivering. "I... I would rather not talk about it... If... If that's OK..." He stuttered.

The kid was so incredibly afraid... Jhin's chest filled with compassion. "Of course. There's no problem at all. Please don't feel pressured." He smiled as he saw the boy relax a bit. "Since you just woke up, I suppose you haven't eaten anything yet?"

Ekko took a second to rub his eyes before replying. "No, nothing."

Jhin smiled and reached into his pocket. He retrieved a shiny apple and the healing supplies he had promised to bring. "Here you go." He said handing him the fruit. The teen hesitated for a split second before accepting it with a small smile. "Thank you."

Jhin rapidly examined the boy from top to bottom with his eyes. "How is your pain? You're still very sore?" He wished to know.

Ekko took a small bite of the apple and shook his head. He swallowed the bit of fruit before replying without looking at Jhin. Instead he focused his gaze on the apple in his hand. "The painkillers really helped. I'm still hurting a bit, but I feel much better. Thank you for that too..."

"You're very welcome." Jhin told him as his eyes squinted with satisfaction. Then he got more serious. "Well... About your injuries: Do you want me to treat them after you're done eating? Are you alright with that?"

Ekko's eyes widened a little bit and then he looked down at the floor as he contemplated the difficult decision. Being touched and having others be in close proximity was a delicate subject. But this time, he looked directly at the man. "Well... I... Yes. Please, do it." He said firmly with his eyebrows furrowed. However, Jhin noticed there was a glint of uncertainty in his eyes. "But... Won't they be mad if they see my wounds were treated?" He hesitantly voiced his worries.

It was Jhin's turn to shake his head. "Viktor will end up wanting them treated at some point. He'd probably do it himself. He's only punishing you harshly at the moment because you defied him by trying to run away. But he doesn't want to kill you. He wants to keep you. Doesn't he tell you that you "belong to him"?"

The boy lowered his eyes once more. "Yeah... He does. Many times." He squinted his eyes in sadness. "It's so creepy when he says that... He scares me so much..."

Jhin frowned. "I know he does. Viktor's a mad man."

At that moment, Ekko stopped eating the apple and kept his eyes lowered. "Jhin, I'm confused about one thing: That man said he was named Jayce. But everyone calls him Viktor... He said he was a police officer, but... Who is he, really?" He asked looking at him through the corner of his eye.

Jhin pondered for a few moments. Then, he almost whispered. "Hm... Look kid, these people we are dealing with are incredibly dangerous. We're both deep in enemy territory. It's just better if you don't know a lot... You'll be safer that way. Do you understand?"

After a slight hesitance, the boy nodded. He finished the apple slowly as Jhin prepared the healing supplies.

"Very well..." The man started once he was all set. "What you have to understand is that Jayce and Viktor are different people. Viktor is the man who has been hurting you and Jayce is an officer of the law. Jayce put Viktor in prison a few years ago and as such, Viktor swore revenge on him. He underwent plastic surgery to look exactly like him so he would be framed for your kidnapping."

Ekko's jaw dropped.

Jhin continued. "Jayce is a very famous figure. So looking like him, while in the same city that he lives in was a very risky part of his plan. But Viktor took the risk. Killing him would be far too easy and not satisfying. He wanted him to be framed so he would rot in prison."

"Just like what Jayce did to him..." Finished the boy.

Jhin nodded. "If I had to choose a quote that represents Viktor it would definitely be:" An eye for an eye." It suits him perfectly." He stopped in his tracks when Ekko suddenly yelped in pain. A wound that was being treated had stung particularly hard. "I'm sorry. I'm trying to be as gentle as I can."

Ekko had a sad glimmer in his eyes, but he still tried being cordial. "No! It's ok. I'm fine, keep going!"

Jhin smiled thinly behind the mask and resumed his work.

The man and the boy didn't say another word to each other. Ekko simply stayed still, lying down on his stomach, while Jhin carefully tended to his wounds. It hurt a bit sometimes, but he knew the man was trying his best to be gentle with him. His touch was soft, not rough or sexually hungry. It really felt like he cared about his well-being... And that was more than Ekko could ask for...

\---------------

"Hey Eve! Pass me the pepper, please." Asked Kai'sa while stirring the food inside the fumming pot. Evelynn, who was leaning against the kitchen counter, looked around for the condiment. Once she found the flask, she grabbed it and brought it over to her friend." Thanks!" Kai'sa said with a smile. "I really hope this ramen will cheer Akali up. It's always been her favorite..."

Evelynn's expression was serious. "Even if it doesn't, at least you tried." She answered with sincerity.

"Yes... But I would really like to do something for her. She's feeling so down..." The girl lamented while adding a pinch of pepper to the boiling water. "Has she arrived yet?"

"Yeah. She's in the living room with Ahri. She's trying to help her get her mind off of Ekko for a bit. But I don't think it's been working very well." She crossed her arms and shook her head. "I sure hope tonight's concert will cheer her up."

Kai'sa sighed. They all wanted to help their friend. All three of them had given suggestions, but Ahri had been the one to present the idea of having dinner together and follow it with a group outing. There would be an EDM concert starting in a few hours and it was a promising event. Many people they knew would attend and it was the type of thing that Akali liked.

"It's normal that she's worried about Ekko. We all are." Ahri had said with a frown. "But she really needs to get her mind off of it for a bit. Have you girls seen the bags under her eyes? She hasn't been getting any shut-eye! Qyiana said she almost hasn't eaten anything lately! And her hair? She's never looked this... frazzled..." Ahri had said. And the others had agreed. If they didn't, they would just outright be denying the truth before their eyes.

Evelynn took a look at the boiling ingredients inside the fuming pots and observed as Kai'sa expertly cut the meat. "That smells really good, Kai'sa. I wish I had half your talent... You know that I'm not much of a cook..."

Kai'sa smiled. "I could teach you one of these days." She offered.

"Nah. I don't doubt you're a good teacher, but I'm a lost cause. It's like you forgot what happened when I tried using the electric whisk... But thanks anyway."

Kai'sa rolled her eyes and smirked. "Like we could EVER forget that. You only need practice, that's all! But suit yourself." She added, shrugging. "This will be done soon. Could you go set the table?"

"Sure." Evelynn complied. She hurried to leave the kitchen and headed for the living room where Ahri and Akali were. "Hey girls." She greeted them.

"Hi Eve!" Said Ahri. "I was just about to let Akali know about your incident with the electric whisk a few months back!" She turned to the somber girl, sitting beside her on the couch with a wide smile. "I can't believe none of us told you about this yet! As you know, Eve is a DISASTER in the kitchen... Back in March she tried baking a cake for Kai'sa's birthday. No one knows how: but when she tried using the electric whisk, she managed to get batter all over herself and the entire kitchen! Then, she also let the bowl fall to the floor and it broke! When I heard the noise I opened the door, to find all that craziness going on! I saw Eve covered in flour and eggs and I...!" She was unable to finish because she started cracking up.

Evelynn also began chuckling as if they weren't laughing at herself. She just didn't really care. She knew she was a walking accident around pots and pans and she simply embraced it. Maybe this was what Akali needed to finally cheer up a little bit! She turned her head in her direction and studied her reaction. They had at least managed a half-hearted smile and a small giggle.

"That's a good one." Said Akali in a tone of voice that did a horrible job of masking her inner sadness.

Ahri's smile faded a bit. She knew the joke hadn't been very funny, but she had given it her best. It wasn't easy to keep up her happy and carefree persona when one of her best friends seemed to be nearing a depression... She turned to Eve, at a loss of what to do, and the girl got the message.

"I came here to tell you dinner is almost ready. Come to the dining room! I'm gonna set up the table." Said Evelynn making a motion with her hand for the girls to follow her.

"I'll help you! Come Akali, you're the guest tonight, so you don't have to do any work!" Said Ahri, winking.

The somber girl reluctantly got up from the couch and followed her friends.

Soon enough, the four girls were gathered around the dining table with fuming bowls of spicy ramen in front of them.

"OK, Kai'sa. You've officially outdone yourself! This ramen is amazing! What's your secret?" Ahri wished to know.

Kai'sa gave her an inigmatic smile. "If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret anymore, would it?"

The fox girl pouted. "You're no fun!" She joked.

Evelynn, who was currently just watching her friends and had already finished her food, turned to Akali to check on her. The girl was in silence, fiddling around with the noodles with her chopsticks. She had eaten, but not much. A heavy sigh came out of her mouth and Evelynn decided it was best to talk to her.

"Akali?" She called.

The silver haired girl jolted in her seat and her eyes widened as if she had woken up from a dream. "Oh. Yes, Eve?"

Evelynn frowned. "Are you not liking your ramen? You haven't eaten almost anything. Kai'sa cooked it especially for you!"

The other two girls turned in their direction once Kai'sa's name was mentioned. Akali smiled weakly but tried to sound happy and satisfied. "What? Not at all! The ramen is delicious! Just how I like it! My compliments to the chef!" She announced, looking directly at Kai'sa.

"I'm glad you like it..." The cook said with a smile. But it quickly turned into a frown. She breathed deeply and closed her eyes for a few seconds before delivering. "Look, Akali... We know how worried you are about Ekko. It's totally understandable. He's your best friend and he was kidnapped. Anyone in your place would freak out... Even WE are worried! And we're not super close to him like you are! But the truth is that you being THIS sad just won't bring him back...!"

Akali listened attentively to her friend. She cast her eyes down. "I know that. And everyone has been telling me that: Yasuo, Senna, even my parents. But I just can't help it... I can't get it off my head... Ekko might be dead and buried somewhere!"

Ahri'e eyes widened. "Goodness, Akali... Such negativity... This isn't like you at all!"

Kai'sa spoke once again. "We're worried about you, Akali. Very worried. We've never seen you so down for as long as we've known you... And we really want to help!"

Evelynn reached out to her and put her hand on Akali's shoulder. "We know that having him back is the thing you want the most and what would make you truly happy again. But as much as we'd like to, we can't do that for you." She said, looking into the girl's somber blue eyes. "However, we CAN and WILL try to cheer you up. And tonight's concert will be fun for sure!" She exclaimed, gripping her friend's shoulder a bit harder to show her support.

Akali looked slightly troubled. "That EDM concert? I really appreciate your concern girls, I do! But I don't know if I'll feel well attending a concert while this is going on." She slowly turned away from Eve and the girl's hand fell from her shoulder. "My best friend is missing... And I just go out to have fun? It doesn't feel right..."

Kai'sa sighed deeply in disappointment. The plan to cheer up Akali wasn't sailing smoothly at all... But suddenly, Ahri got up from her seat and slowly walked over to the somber girl. She positioned herself behind her chair and put her hands on Akali's shoulders. Her tone was warm and kind. "Look at it this way: Would Ekko be happy, knowing that you're feeling this depressed because of his disappearance? No. Ekko wants to see you smile, full of hope that he will return." Akali raised her head to face Ahri and her eyes were full of tears. "We know it's very hard, sweetie. But you have to be strong for him. We're all here for you!" Ahri wrapped her arms around her friend's shoulders, from behind, and gave her a caring hug.

Akali closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "You're right... Thank you girls. I mean it. I'm lucky to have you..."

"Ah, don't mention it! We know we're amazing!" Joked Kai'sa.

Akali gave her a sad smile. Ahri let her go and straightened herself up. "Are you going to finish that?"

The girl looked down at her bowl. "Of course! This is too good!"

"Then finish up so we can go get ready." Commented Kai'sa with a smile.

"But I thought I was only coming over for dinner." Akali looked at her old lilac sweater and watered-down black pants. "I can't go out looking like this."

"Ah, don't worry about that. I had already thought of everything. I can lend you one of my outfits. You're gonna look stunning!" Said Ahri with her eyes sparkling. "Oh, and I can do your makeup too! And your hair needs some work..."

Ahri's excitement over the prospect of a makeover made Akali laugh. "Alright!" She turned to her bowl and hurried to finish her food.

The other three looked at one another with satisfaction. Their friend seemed to be feeling a little bit better already! Their efforts actually seemed to be paying off.

\--------

"So, girls! Are we all set?" Asked Kai'sa turning around to check on the others and opening the entrance door. "Then, let's go!"

The girls all looked amazing in their outfits. Evelynn had opted for a simple long sleeved black dress, dark purple stockings and some high heeled over-the-knee boots. She also sported a black shoulder bag. Dark colors always helped her blend in. She was going to the concert for Akali, otherwise she would have been very happy to just stay home. Kai'sa had chosen a red top, black leggings, a leather jacket and red chelsea boots to complete the look. Somewhat sporty, to make it easy to dance in, yet classy. Ahri had dressed to kill, like always. A sparkly short blue dress covered by a white fur coat, pearl earrings, ostentatious makeup and blue ankle-strap shoes. No matter how big or small the event, Ahri would always manage to steal the show! Akali, on the other hand, had chosen a much more discrete look. A dark green cashmere sweater, grey jeans and some brown timberland boots. With a simple glance, Ahri could tell her friend was in a "Don't look at me please. Thank you." mood. The cold, washed-out colors she had chosen were perfect to pass by unnoticed. Normally, on a night-outing, Akali would have worn more vibrant tones like reds, bright purples and neon-blues. It was understandable though. Even if she liked the happy, talkative, clad in neon colors Akali more...

Even though it made her a little bit sad, her friend seemed perfectly happy with the choice of clothes. Ahri decided not opening her mouth would be for the best.

The group headed for Evelynn's car and soon were on their way to the concert. They managed to arrive in next to no time due to Evenynn's expert driving. Things were looking good for them. However, there were tons of people around for the concert and they seemed to have occupied every parking spot imaginable. After searching for a while, Evelynn ended up having to leave her car quite far away from the concert grounds.

On their way there, everything was quiet in that street. The girls were simply chatting amongst themselves when they heard two motorcycles approaching. Two guys pulled up on the sidewalk near them. Within seconds, they started hearing whistles and one of them saying: "Hey, you there with the fox tails! Nice curves!" Followed by his companion laughing.

The K/DA girls decided to ignore and simply kept on walking. The second guy shouted: "What's a bunch of pretty ladies doing out here? Where you goin'? To some party?"

Kai'sa clenched her fist and turned around. "It's none of your business!" Ahri rolled her eyes and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't talk to them. They're not worth our time."

"Oooohh! They're feisty. I like that." They heard behind them. Four more guys were approaching.

"Wow. Who invited them?" Joked Evelynn, crossing her arms. Kai'sa's fist was trembling from being painfully clenched and Akali had put her sadness aside entirely. Now she looked like a lioness that was ready to pounce. 

The guys inched closer to the group. One of them took a step forward with a cocky grin on his face. "We can't show up uninvited? But we wanted to make you a surprise!" He positioned himself right in front of Ahri. She looked him directly in his eyes and raised her eyebrows. The guy grabbed a bit of the fabric of her dress and felt it between his fingers. "Fancy dress, girl. It highlights your curves!"

Ahri smiled. "Oh thank you! So nice of you to notice!" The guys were too focused on Ahri to realize the rest of the girls had begun to move from their spots. "However... There's one rule every guy must know before they go out with me." She added, grabbing his hand gently with her own. She looked up slowly and met his eyes with a soft smile. "You DON'T touch the dress without permission!" The man's eyes widened. Ahri twisted his wrist so his palm was facing up, and swiftly kicked his elbow as she held his arm tight. The crack was followed by a blood-curdling scream.

"You bitch!" One of them began aggressively walking up to Ahri when he felt straps wrap around his throat. Evelynn had snuck up behind him without him noticing and was now strangling him, using her bag straps, with a satisfied smirk. "Woah! Where are you going sugar cakes? I wanna play." She taunted him.

Another guy was surprised when Kai'sa rapidly and confidently approached him. Quick as the wind, she threw herself to the ground, supported herself on her hands and swung one of her legs. They collided with the man's ankles, he tripped over and fell to the ground with a thud. Then, she quickly captured his wrist and stepped on his neck, squeezing it with her foot. "You wanted to have fun? This is how WE have fun!"

The three girls were all holding their ground, but Akali easily stood out from the rest. At the first opportunity, she lunged forward and took out the guy in front of her with a clean karate kick to the head. The second one was prepared for her attack and grabbed her wrists when she tried to punch him. The girl quickly thought of a solution. Without hesitation, she snapped her neck back, before throwing her entire body's weight, through her head, at the man in front of her. His grip loosened and he stumbled back holding his head, before his legs toppled and he fell backwards, smashing the back of his head on his motorcycle's engine. There was now only one guy left. But he wasn't where she had last seen him! She suddenly heard footsteps charging at her. Akali turned around and verified he was swinging a punch directed at her face. Fast as lightning, the girl ducked, threw a right hook at his kidneys and a left punch to his gut, for good measure. Then, to finish him, she gave him a hard kick in the nuts that made him howl in agony and fall on the pavement.

Absolutely defeated, the men lay scattered across the ground. The four girls stood tall and proud amongst the group of mostly unconscious bodies. They all had cocky grins adorning their faces except Akali, who was still giving them a killer stare.

"Well, it was fun hanging out with you boys." Taunted Ahri with her hand on her hip. "But the girls and I must be going now. Bye!" She blew them a kiss before turning around with flair and starting to distance herself. The other three followed her.

"Those guys really didn't know what they were getting themselves into." Commented Kai'sa when they had already created quite some distance.

"Yeah. They're gonna be sore for days. Just like the last group who tried the same." Added Evelynn.

"I love the way you took down that guy, Kai'sa! It was like you were dancing!" Ahri told her friend.

"That's because I WAS dancing." Replied Kai'sa, winking at the fox girl. "What I pulled off was a dance move. You gotta get creative. Not everyone is a natural fighter like Miss Ninja over here." She said, wrapping her arm around Akali's shoulders.

Ahri's smile was wide. "Yeah Akali, you were absolutely amazing! You took out three guys on your own."

Now that their attention had shifted to their youngest member, they realized she didn't look depressed anymore. In fact, Akali was grinning from ear to ear!

"Thanks girls. It's been a while since I was in a fight. I forgot how good it actually feels. I'm all pumped up!"

"Well, you didn't look rusty at all." Added Evelynn. "Has it really been long since the last time you fought someone?"

Akali nodded. "I haven't even been training that much... My workout routines are more based around preparing for dancing nowadays. I didn't realize I had left martial arts behind. But now I want to get back into it!" She said, her eyes shining with determination.

"That sounds great, girl. Go for it!" Said Ahri, excitedly.

The faint sound of electronic music was brought by the chilly evening wind. When they got to the next street, they could see dozens of people gathering at the venue's entrance. They were finally here.

"So girls, are you ready to hit the dance floor?" Kai'sa asked as if she were challenging them.

Eve said dryly. "Not me. I'm gonna watch."

Kai'sa rolled her eyes. "C'mon Eve! It's always the same! You can't come to a concert to "just watch"! It's a crime! I'm gonna make sure you join in. You can't escape this time!" She said, taking the lead and beginning to walk to the entrance.

Eve chuckled. "Guess I have no choice!" And she followed her.

Akali, who was only listening to the conversation, felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to her right and saw Ahri smiling at her. "We have a long night ahead of us. You ok? Ready for the concert?"

"Yeah, I feel better now. Thank you." She turned her head to look at her friend and gave her a grateful smile. "C'mon Ahri. Let's go!"

The girls walked together to the entrance where the other two were already waiting for them. Akali hadn't felt this alive in weeks and the grin just wouldn't leave her face. And being aware of her friend's newfound happiness, the corners of Ahri's mouth wouldn't turn down.


	16. Unexpected Encounters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to TurokRevolution for the idea to include DJ Sona in this chapter ❤️

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! :) New chapter! I hope you guys like it and leave some nice comments for me to read. <3  
> Just to clear things up, Ekko and Akali are from Zaun, but the story doesn't take place in Runeterra. I'm treating Zaun as a made-up neighborhood in the USA. Also, even though I never named the city they live in at the moment, I imagine it to be somewhere in California, maybe Los Angeles. But you can imagine it however you'd like. :)

The gigantic stage was brightly illuminated. Blues, yellows, pinks, purples and other colors lit up the venue, bringing it life. The first act of the night had just begun and a young man was on stage dropping the beat. There were dozens of people all around. Most of them were dancing without a care in the world. But others were chatting with their friends, a few girls in a circle were telling jokes and laughing, couples were making out in corners. A group of teenagers was laughing and running around like a pack of wild horses. They passed by the K/DA girls at lightning speed and one of them crashed with Evelynn, making her stumble.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" She shouted when they didn't bother to stop and apologize. The girl straightened her dress while giving them an annoyed look. "Stupid kids with no manners... What are they doing here anyway? This should be an adult party."

"Wow, Eve, you sound like my grandma." Joked Akali giving her a nudge. "Chill!"

Kai'sa giggled. "Calm down Eve. They're just teens." She positioned herself in front of her irritated friend and opened her arms in excitement. "And we're here to have fun! So nothing can ruin it!"

Evelynn groaned and rolled her eyes. "Fine..." She began straightening her hair and her purse with an undignified expression.

Ahri shook her head and chuckled at the scene that was unfolding. Then, her attention shifted when she spotted a bright set of neon lights from the corner of her eye. When she turned her head to check what it was, she recognized a familiar face near the stage. "Look, girls! Isn't that Sona?" She called out, excitedly.

The others turned their heads with curiosity. It WAS her! She was sporting the blue full body suit and the helmet that she always wore for her concerts and seemed very concentrated on her hovering mixing table.

"Hey, Sona!" The DJ suddenly heard. She looked around her and spotted the K/DA girls approaching. Ahri was warmly waving at her. Her smile widened and she happily waved back. "What a surprise to find you here! We thought you were on tour!?" Asked Ahri.

The mute DJ raised her hand in their direction, signaling them to wait. Then, she started looking around, seemingly trying to find someone specific. This puzzled the K/DA girls greatly. What was she doing?

Kai'sa lifted one eyebrow. "Hm... Isn't she just going to write down the answer on her phone like she uses to?" She thought to herself. She didn't say it out loud, since she could come across as rude or impatient.

Sona still kept on looking for a few moments. Upon not finding who she was looking for, she shrugged and took out her phone. When she was ready to begin typing, she took one last look at the crowd around them. Kai'sa thought she must have found the person she needed because she lowered her phone and a wide smile drew itself on her lips. The K/DA girls turned around and immediately had an idea of who Sona was smiling at. A girl who seemed slightly younger than them was approaching. She had short brown hair waving in the evening wind, and bushy eyebrows above her hazel eyes. Her nose was long and flattened and her face was spotted with freckles. In her hands, she was carrying two water bottles.

"Hey, Sona! I brought the water! Here's yours." She announced, throwing one of the bottles to the DJ. "Catch!"

Sona caught it effortlessly with both hands and gave the girl a nod of gratitude.

"You're welcome!" The newcomer exclaimed. Only then did she fully realize they had company. "Oh, I'm sorry!" She excused herself, turning around to face them. "I didn't see you were here... I'm TRULY sorry." She took a little bit of time to properly inspect them, and after a few seconds her eyes lit up. "Wait a minute... You're the K/DA group! Wow! It's a pleasure to meet you! I'm a big fan."

The girls smiled politely. "The pleasure is all ours." Said Ahri touching her chest with her palm in a cordial gesture.

The girl was smiling from ear to ear. "I'm Taliyah." She straightened herself with pride. "Sona's personal sign language translator. She hired me a little before her tour, when Summer started." She quickly explained.

Kai'sa's mouth was agape. "Incredible. I didn't know you learned sign language, Sona. When did you start? Was it difficult?" She wished to know.

Taliyah and Sona instinctively looked at one another. The mute girl began making a seemingly endless number of elaborate gestures that the translator observed attentively. Once Sona was done, her helper turned to face the other girls. "She began her lessons last year. Sona said it wasn't as difficult as she thought it would be and she really enjoyed it. I was her teacher, in case you were wondering. She made progress really quickly and was very eager to learn, so I REALLY liked working with her."

The K/DA girls' eyes were open wide. They all had witnessed similar things in the past. But observing two people understanding one another through sign language was always fascinating. "This was a great idea, Sona. It HAS to feel good to be able to communicate much faster and WAY easier than before!" Commented Ahri.

Sona nodded eagerly in response. Taliyah's excitement about everything that was taking place could almost be physically felt. The big smile on her face and her eyes shining with glee just said it all.

"So, Sona. We weren't expecting to find you here tonight. It was a surprise. When did your tour end?" Akali wondered.

Taliyah spoke on behalf of both of them this time. "The tour ended three days ago. We arrived yesterday and Sona decided to participate in the EDM concert at the last minute." She explained, turning to face the DJ. "We had to make some arrangements, but it worked out and here we are."

Sona was unsurprisingly silent, listening to the conversation taking place, with a smile adorning her lips. She looked kindly at Taliyah as she kept on speaking. One could say she seemed very pleased with the translator she had chosen. But seemingly out of nowhere, her eyes widened and her lips parted slightly as if she had realized something. Taliyah noticed this and raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Sona? What is it?" She wished to know. She observed carefully as the DJ expertly moved her arms, hands and fingers to communicate. The K/DA girls almost didn't dare breathe: The whole sign language thing was so awesome...!

"What time is it?" Concluded Taliyah once Sona finished transmitting the message to her. She took out her phone from her jeans and quickly checked the time. "It's ten to eight. We need to finish getting ready. It's almost Sona's turn!" The girl turned around to face the K/DA group. "I'm so sorry girls. We really need to finish setting things up. But I loved getting to meet all of you!"

"Once again: The pleasure was all ours, Taliyah." Replied Ahri. "And it was great seeing you again, Sona. Best of luck!" She wished her, while beginning to distance herself with the rest of the group. Sona and Taliyah enthusiastically waved them goodbye until they could see them no longer.

As they walked away from the stage, Ahri turned to Akali. "I liked that new girl. She seems so sweet." She commented.

Akali nodded. "Yeah, I agree. And Sona seems to like her a lot. I think she made a good choice."

Without thinking, Ahri stated. "If Sona hadn't been on tour, we would have asked her to perform at our last party. You know how she usually accepts, even if she's super busy. She's a sweetheart." She said with a smile.

Akali's chest suddenly felt tight. "Oh. Yeah... She is..." She said, trying to mask the hurt that had manifested inside her.

Being reminded of that last party they had thrown made her think of Ekko. The ambience of the concert around her also didn't help. All those people dancing and having fun... It was so much like the party on that fateful night... She hadn't been tempted to think about him from the moment she had fought those thugs on the street. But now, there he was again. His smile and sweet eyes haunting her. But this time, unlike the previous times he had come to mind, she took a deep breath. Her worries left her mind as if being washed up by water.

Ekko was just fine. And he would come home one day. He would. She now firmly believed in it. And that certainty inside her heart drew a smile on her lips.

Unnerved by her friend's sudden silence, Ahri became slightly worried. "Akali? Are you OK?"

The girl gave her a big, satisfied grin. "Yeah! I'm great!"

Ahri smiled with relief.

"So, girls, what are we doing now?" Akali spontaneously asked, turning to Kai'sa and Eve.

Kai'sa rolled her eyes. "Duh!? Why do people come to concerts for? Let's dance!" She said, excitedly running up to join a group of people that were tearing up the dance floor. Half way there, she detained herself and looked back at her friends. "The last one to join me will do the dishes tomorrow! At lunch AND dinner!"

"Oh goody..." Said Evelynn in a heavily sarcastic tone. Then, she shrugged. "I suppose the dishes ARE worse..." And she began walking up to join Kai'sa.

It didn't take long before all four K/DA girls were stealing the show with their dance moves. The simple act of moving her body freely, throwing her arms up, taking careful calculated steps, was enough to fill Akali up with pure happiness.

"When Ekko is back, we'll dance together again. Like we always do." She thought to herself. "And we'll have the best time! It'll be like he was never even gone. I believe in it..."

With no room for negative thoughts or sadness, the girl danced the night away beside her friends.

In the distance, Sona's techno music filled the air as she conquered the stage with her brightly colored mixing table.

\-----

Jhin dipped his fingers in the frigid water of the bathtub and sighed. How he wished he could provide the boy with a warm bath, even for once. Inviting him to dip into this freezing liquid felt more like a punishment than a kind gesture. But there was no way around it. He patiently waited for the tub to fill up completely before closing the tap. He took a look around at the dust covering the floor and the sink counter top and all the filth in the corners and walls. The mirror was so dirty, he couldn't even see his own reflection. The boy deserved so much better than to wash up in a dirty and dimly lit room like this. Even though it had to be this way, it didn't mean he couldn't try to make things a little bit better for him. Jhin picked up a piece of cloth that was lying around and rapidly cleaned the dirt away. He only stopped when he felt like he couldn't do any more. He looked around at his handiwork and a small smile of satisfaction appeared on his lips. He truly hoped the boy would appreciate this little cleaning he had done. It wasn't much. But he was determined to make him feel at least a tiny bit better.

Jhin turned around, walked up to the door frame and looked into the bedroom. Ekko was sitting on the window sill, looking at the night beyond, his eyes clouded by a deep, raw sadness. He could almost feel the boy's desire for freedom etched deep into his soul, the longing for genuine kindness and warmth in his heart. A way to escape his current reality. His sorrowful gaze simply gave it all away...

"Hey." Jhin called out, capturing the teen's attention. "It's ready. Come." He said simply.

The boy simply nodded to acknowledge Jhin. He got up with slight difficulty and slowly walked up to the man. Once beside him, Ekko took a careful look into the bathroom, at the bath that was waiting for him.

"Go on." Jhin calmly encouraged him. The teen raised his head to deliver a sad smile of gratitude. Then he simply entered the bathroom. Jhin closed the door to give him some much needed privacy. The boy would surely appreciate it.

"I wish I could do more for you, child..." The masked man sorrowfully thought to himself. He turned around so his back was facing the closed door and he leaned against it.

Ekko slowly entered the bathtub and sat down. Even though the water was freezing, he smiled at all the effort this stranger was putting into the smallest things just to help him feel better. "You're doing so much for me. I can only say thank you. Over and over again... And I still feel like it isn't enough." He thought. The boy ended up trying to relax more than to actually clean himself. He distractedly played around with the crystalline liquid, taking it into his palm and then gently letting it flow down. He blinked and looked at the door.

"Jhin?" He called out.

"Yes?"

Ekko hesitated for a little bit. "Thank you... For everything."

The boy's simple, yet kind words were very touching and made the corners of Jhin's mouth turn up. "Don't worry about it, child." He replied. But a sad feeling almost immediately washed over him and his heart throbbed. Ekko seemed like such an approachable and warm-hearted kid. All of Viktor's victims had been such sweet, innocent children... How?... How could these monsters be hurting them and feel no remorse...? He just couldn't understand. What they were doing was unforgivable... But he did his best to shake off those negative thoughts. "Look. I'd really like to stay for longer, but I have some things to take care of. I'll come back tomorrow, all right?"

Ekko let out a sigh. "OK. See you tomorrow." He ended up saying from inside the bathroom.

Jhin slowly crossed the room and took a last look at the closed bathroom door before leaving.

\-----

It was dark outside. The forest was enveloped in an evening mist. The leaves on the trees were rustling in the cold wind and everything was eerily quiet.

Jhin stepped out of the old house and into the clearing. He breathed in the cold night air and looked around. A stiff breeze blew through the holes in his mask and chilled his face. As cold as it was, it was only strong enough to cause the leaves of the nearby trees and bushes to trickle ever so slightly...

Suddenly, his ears picked up on a strange sound. Something wasn't right. Jhin furrowed his eyebrows and kept on walking to his car as if ignoring what he had heard. He walked non-stop for a while amidst the trees. He could already see his car. Calmly, he kept on going forward. And his astute senses spotted something. One tree seemed to rustle for only a second longer than the others. Jhin had just reached the vehicle. He unlocked the driver side door before speaking.

"I don't know why you're watching me, Zed... But you make it far too obvious."

A shadow seemed to appear behind him before taking form as the assassin. Jhin turned towards him and let out a sigh. Zed had a killer expression on his face. His nose was wrinkled in pure, unbridled anger and his eyebrows were furrowed to the point that they seemed to be causing him physical pain. His grimacing mouth opened as he spat out with venom. "I've had enough of your insolence you pathetic worm!"

He readied his blades and pulled his arms up towards Jhin. But he hadn't realized that the artist had effortlessly drawn his hand cannon and was pointing it square at his forehead.

"I'd be careful with that anger of yours, Zed, it'll get you in trouble one of these days." Jhin spoke slowly and carefully, with the measured determination of a man in full control. He cocked his gun, before letting out a slight chuckle.

Zed's face was still contorted with rage but he spun around and walked away from Jhin. "I don't give a damn about what you think of me. I'm watching you because I know you're up to no good. And I will prove it."

Jhin smirked and lowered his gun. "I truly have no idea what you think you know. But if I can spot you hiding in a tree, I don't know how you think you'll be watching me." He once again reached for the door and placed his hand on the handle. But the shadow took form by his side once again. Zed was seething in anger. "You WILL show me respect!" He yelled.

But Jhin, again, was unmoving. He smiled and looked down at Zed's feet. He muttered something under his breath and Zed's eyes widened in exasperation. "Quit whispering like a coward so I can hear you..." He said, giving his rival a venomous look.

And Jhin, still smiling, conceded. "Three... Four." He finished counting, this time loud and clear.

Confused, Zed looked down but it was already too late. The small lotus trap wrapped itself around his ankle and exploded, knocking him to the ground. It didn't deal any damage to Jhin, despite him being mere inches away. The man in the mask let out a laugh as he finally got into the car.

"You really do make this too easy. So pathetically predictable..." Jhin chuckled as he closed his door and began to drive away, leaving Zed rubbing his ankle. Though the physical wound would sting for a while, Jhin rejoiced in knowing the damage to Zed's ego would last a lifetime.

\-----

Ekko observed with mild curiosity the wrinkles that had formed on his fingertips. Throughout his life, he had always been a person of hot, quick showers. And that hadn't given his fingers many opportunities to wrinkle. Frankly, he wasn't much of a swimmer, either. He didn't usually remain in the pool or the ocean long enough to watch it happen.

But his new reality had forced him into long, cold baths. And although the temperature wasn't inviting, there was this iron will inside him to remain there for as long as possible. This was one of the few places where he could find peace and solace from the constant abuse. No creepy whispers in his ears, no disgusting hands all over his body. Just him, the silence and the crystalline water.

The boy sighed deeply and submerged his whole body. He stayed just like that, for a few seconds, laying down at the bottom of the tub, looking at the ceiling. For just a few moments, he closed his eyes. He imagined he was back home. He turned to the side and Akali was sitting beside him on the couch while reading a sports magazine. Yasuo was taking a break from working on his music and having a cup of warm tea. Senna was sweetly cuddling with Lucian on the couch across his and Qiyana was touching up her makeup in front of a hand mirror. They were just enjoying a quiet afternoon together, like they did when there were no gigs or rehearsals. How he missed these moments. How he missed his friends... And then, in less than a second, he was back home in Zaun. His parents were coming in through the front door and he was there to greet them. He always asked how work had been. They asked what he had been up to with his friends. Then, they would prepare dinner together. And tell stories and laugh. Be a family. His kind parents... How he wished he could have one more chance to tell them he loved them...

Ekko opened his eyes and slowly rose up from underneath the water. He breathed in deeply and filled his lungs with oxygen. Then, he slowly breathed out. He did his best to clear his mind of these memories of things he no longer had and he wasn't sure he would ever have again... They were simply too painful. To keep his imagination from wandering much farther, he decided he had bathed for long enough. He stepped out of the bathtub and reached for the towel. As he gently cleaned his sore body, something caught his attention. Through the corner of his eye, he saw the mirror had been wiped clean. Jhin's doing, no doubt... But only then did it occur to him that he hadn't seen his own reflection in a long time. He was aware of the bruises and cuts all over his arms, chest and back. But he hadn't looked at himself from top to bottom ever since he had gotten here...

But did he want to?

A part of him feared what he would see. Had he changed THAT much during the time he had spent in captivity?

He decided to risk it.

Ekko turned around and looked at the polished surface of the mirror. He saw two broken eyes staring back at him. There was so much fear in them... And then that fear turned to pure shock. The blood froze in his veins, his heartbeat got faster. His face was untouched, save for the chapped and dried lips. But he winced at the deep cuts all over his body... The ugly bruises... He had gotten so much thinner in just a few weeks, from the worry, the stress and the starvation. His hair, even though he had just bathed, still looked dirty and frazzled. He reminded himself of a homeless person. And he FELT homeless and completely lost... He had never seen himself in this state. And it pained him so much... He started seeing tears forming in those frightened eyes that stared back at him.

He could have cleaned this mirror before. It would have been so easy. But now he understood why subconsciously, he had avoided it altogether. Looking at his own battered self, at what had become of him, had been a great shock. The profound sadness in his gaze was unbearable. He ended up looking away and closing his eyes, causing two tears to stream down his face.

He felt weaker than ever before...

Without glancing at the mirror again, the boy wrapped the towel around his shoulders and moved to the bedroom. He looked at his dirty clothes lying on the bed and decided he felt better without them on. They would be just yanked off of him anyway. What was the point in him dressing up? The shirt had even begun to tear from being forcefully removed so many times. He sat on the floor and leaned against the side of the bed. Once again he looked out the window above him at the world outside. The moon was shining down on him.

He felt so cold. Inside and out. Would he ever be free from this place and the torment? Or would only death give him respite?

\-----

Akali let herself fall on a chair, gasping and her cheeks slightly reddened. Ahri followed her example and sat beside her, holding a bottle of water. She too looked tired from all the dancing. Unsurprisingly, Evelynn had been the first one to stop and had disappeared to a corner where it was less crowded. Only Kai'sa was still going strong on the dance floor.

"She never gets tired does she? It's like she has an infinite supply of energy." Commented Ahri observing her friend spinning around powerfully. She looked at Akali for a moment and noticed she hadn't brought a bottle of water with her. "Akali, do you want some of mine?" She asked, raising her bottle.

"What?" Asked the girl, turning to Ahri. "No, no. I saw someone was selling water in a stand nearby. I'll go buy some for myself."

"It's a lot cheaper to bring one from home." Said Ahri with a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I won't forget next time." Replied Akali while getting up. She took only a few steps before stopping abruptly, because she had just crashed with someone. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't see where I was going!" She immediately excused herself.

"No, it's ok! I should have been more careful." The boy said. Something about that voice seemed familiar though. Why was it familiar? Where had she heard it before? The girl raised her head and took a quick look at the stranger. He wasn't very tall, had his long black hair in a braid and was slightly muscular. He had fair skin and his eyes were decorated with long lashes and were dark brown in color.

Turns out, he ended up being the one who recognized her first. "Akali?" His eyes widened in excitement and a big smile appeared on his lips. "Boy, am I glad to see you. It's been years!"

Akali furrowed her eyebrows and tilted her head to the side. Who was this boy who seemed so familiar and also knew her? And then it finally hit her. "Kayn!?"

"The one and only!" He joked.

"It's been so long! How have you been? Where have you been?" She asked. "You know what? I'm going to buy myself some water and I'll come back in a minute. And then you can tell me everything."

"I'll go with you, if you want." Offered Kayn with a smile. Akali accepted and a few minutes later, the two were sitting on two chairs, near the stand.

"So, what have you been doing all these years? Are you still rapping?" Akali asked, her eyes shining with curiosity.

"Well, yeah. But I'm also a DJ! My manager told me it could be a good idea to branch out. I'm performing later tonight."

"Oh, so that's why you're here. That's cool." Said Akali with a smile.

"Yeah. I came to the big city to try my luck. But it hasn't been working out very well. It's hard to gain a following as a solo rapper nowadays. Especially when there's such big names going around, like yours." He commented with a sad smile.

She was taken aback by his comment. "Oh. I believe it's just some bad luck. I know plenty of solo artists in the city who are gaining track at the moment. Your time just hasn't arrived yet. But you'll be fine, trust me."

"If you say so." Said Kayn, looking a bit happier. "But K/DA and True Damage are such big hits. And a great part of that success is you and Ekko, in all honesty. Both of you have so much talent... I wish I had half of it."

"Don't think like that. You're plenty good." Akali said with a wide smile. Kayn had been a rapper for longer than both of them. Of course, he was also four years older than her. She remembered clearly as day, his look of shock when Ekko, at just twelve, had started spitting fire in front of both of them. She had been surprised too. Ekko was a master of improvisation and a natural lyricist, able to come up with new verses seemingly out of thin air. She really admired that about him. She also remembered Kayn seemingly growing a bit bitter overtime. She had found it a bit silly that he was jealous of a kid. But the truth is that Kayn didn't have half the talent of Ekko. As much as he tried, the younger kid always seemed to come out on top. And soon, Ekko had become the talk of the city, overshadowing every other aspiring rapper, including Kayn. "You know, Kayn? When I was creating True Damage I heavily considered inviting you to join. But I was much closer to Ekko and he had made such a big name for himself already. I just went with him instead. But you were definitely on my mind back then. So you're not a failure in any way."

"Wow, really?" Kayn's eyes were shining at the revelation. "I totally understand why you went with Ekko. But thanks for taking me into consideration. It really means a lot."

Akali smiled with satisfaction but her happiness dwindled when Kayn asked the next question.

"Speaking of Ekko, how's he been? I haven't seen him ever since he left Zaun to join your group." The young man wished to know.

"Ah..." The girl cast down her eyes for a few seconds. "You... You haven't heard anything about it, have you?"

Kayn raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Heard about what?"

Akali raised her head and looked at him once again. "Ekko was kidnapped at a party a few weeks back. Right under our noses... He's still missing..."

Kayn's eyes widened. "Kidnapped? Man, I had no idea." He raised his hand and put it on her shoulder to try and comfort her. "I'm so sorry, Akali. It must be so hard for you. The two of you were inseparable. Are you feeling OK?"

"I've come to terms with him being gone. So I'm feeling better now. I have hope he'll come back to us. The police is working really hard to find him."

Kayn gave her a comforting smile and let go of her shoulder. "I hope he'll be all right."

"Thanks Kayn." She said, smiling back at him. Akali didn't want to linger on thoughts about Ekko for much longer, so she decided to change the topic. "So... It's your turn to ask me what I've been doing."

Kayn smirked. "Are you kidding? You're just one of the biggest stars at the moment. I've been following you and the rest of the bands' members on social media and I've been to some of your concerts even."

Akali was going to reply, when she heard the familiar sound of a flash going off and a bright light blinded her for a second.

"It's Akali! She's over there!" She heard a man excitedly scream a few meters away.

Once she could see again, the girl realized that a group of people holding cameras, mics and notebooks was running at her. "Paparazzis..." She complained. "I'm so not in the mood to deal with them right now!" In next to no time, both of them had been swarmed by the group. They questioned the girl relentlessly.

"Akali, who is this young man? Why are you two alone? Is something going on between you? Are you two dating?" A girl asked.

"WHAT?" Asked Akali, her eyes wide in shock. She felt like she had to clarify this one. "NO!? He's an old friend of mine!"

Another woman was already shoving the microphone in her face. "We've seen the rest of the K/DA are with you tonight. Why did you come to the concert?"

"Akali, how are you finding the event? Are there any comments you would like to make on it?"

"Miss, you were seen with DJ Sona earlier this evening. Is there anything you would like to say about her performance tonight?"

"Akali, are there any news regarding Ekko's disappearance? It is known that the two of you are really close."

That question was the last drop. The girl felt her blood beginning to boil in her veins. "Please, leave! I'm not answering any questions tonight!"

Kayn, on the other hand, was absolutely ecstatic with seeing so many cameras flashing around him. This was the attention he so desperately craved. How could Akali hate this? He was absolutely smiling from ear to ear, but upon noticing the girl's discomfort, he rapidly leaned closer to her and whispered "Here's a backstage pass. Go hide there. I'll keep as many as I can distracted." She looked down and he was discretely handing her a small piece of paper. With her eyes shining with gratitude, she whispered a thank you and picked up the pass. Kayn smiled at her. "Run!" He advised her. The girl didn't need to be told twice. As she prepared to leave, she saw Kayn readily getting up. "Didn't you hear her? She isn't answering any questions! Please step back!"

As Akali made her way through the small crowd, she couldn't help but appreciate Kayn's kindness. He was really saving her right now. She would have to thank him and do something for him at some point... As soon as she was free and began running, many of the paparazzi chased after her. She looked back for a second and noted that a few people had actually stayed behind with Kayn. She imagined they must be dead curious about this boy who had been seen alone with one of the "biggest stars of the moment". He was finally getting some attention for himself! She smiled at the thought as she tried to outrun the people still flashing their cameras and throwing questions to the air.

Akali passed by the crowd attending the concert like a bullet. She could already see the stage's lights! Running out of breath, she made a last effort to sprint to the backstage. Once she got to the entrance, she rapidly talked to the security guard. "Good evening, here's my pass. Please let me through." She said with difficulty, gasping heavily and red as a tomato. The man examined the piece of paper for a few seconds before stepping to the side. "Right this way, miss." He said, handing her back the pass and pointing to the entrance. Akali thanked him politely and looked back to check on the group of people that were about to get to her. Without wasting time, she stepped inside. All she could hear now was the muffled voice of the guard saying that they weren't allowed in and the words of protest of the paparazzi.


	17. Betrayal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter deals with very sensitive topics. Please read to your own discretion. 
> 
> Hi guys! Chapter 17 is here. I've been quite productive lately. I hope you enjoy reading it!  
> And please keep on leaving your lovely comments :)

Akali sighed deeply as she walked slowly through the crowd. She took a quick sip of water from the bottle she had bought as she looked around, looking for her friends. It had almost been forty-five minutes since she had sought refuge in the backstage. Those paparazzi sure were persistent, even with a security guard shouting at them, ordering them to leave. Patiently, she had waited in the empty room for those insufferable people to get tired and leave her alone. In there, everything was silent, save for the muffled sounds of the concert outside. The girl had taken a minute to calm her beating heart and to regulate her breathing from all the running. She usually didn't mind paparazzi all that much. They were only doing their job, after all. But at the moment, she really couldn't stand being asked personal questions. Especially about Ekko...

Her heart skipped a beat when an image of her friend being taken away appeared in her mind's eye. She could only imagine him, limp, in a man's arms, being put in the back of a van. Caitlyn had said something about his drink being spiked, hadn't she? He must have been so confused when the drugs kicked in. So scared when someone, probably armed, had attacked him out of nowhere. Had he cried in panic? Had he struggled and tried to get away? Had fear taken over, freezing him in place and rendering him unable to react?

Had Ekko desperately called out to HER for help? That possibility alone was enough to break her heart...

The guilt weighed her down like a rock sinking into water. She could have protected him. She could have given the kidnapper the beating of his life and saved Ekko from his clutches. Instead, while all of this was going down, she had happily been signing autographs for her fans. And with that, she had miserably failed one of the most important people in her life...

The loud sounds from the stage suddenly broke through the image in her mind. The colors of the lights fell upon her as if calling her to reality. Now wasn't the time to get lost in those depressing thoughts.

Swiftly, Akali zigzagged through the crowd of people dancing and enjoying the music, until she approached the area where she had last seen Ahri. From where she was, she could already make out the long blonde hair, the fox ears and the gigantic fox tails. Ahri was impossible to miss, even amidst the chaos. Eve had probably gotten bored from being by herself and had left her quieter corner to join Ahri. And Kai'sa had finally taken a break from all the dancing, even if she didn't look tired in the slightest. She wasn't at all flustered or sweaty. That girl's crazy energy and endurance were an absolute mystery.

Kai'sa was saying something to Ahri and seemed amused, but she ended up spotting Akali in the distance and signaled the others. Once the girl finally got near the group, Evelynn was the first to speak. "There you are! Where have you been?"

"Sorry I took so long. A bunch of paparazzi showed up and I had to run or they wouldn't leave me alone." Akali pointed backwards with her thumb in the direction of the stage. "Kayn gave me his backstage pass and I just hid there until they left." She explained.

"Kayn? Who's that?" Kai'sa raised one eyebrow.

Ahri looked at her and smiled. "A friend of hers. I heard them say they hadn't seen one another in years."

"Yeah. Kayn was one of the older kids in the neighborhood where Ekko and I grew up in. He wasn't exactly a "friend", more like an acquaintance, you know? After I left to join you girls, I never saw him again."

Evelynn was furrowing her eyebrows. "But you? Running away from paparazzi? That doesn't sound like you..."

Akali's smile dwindled. "Yeah... I'm not in the right state of mind to answer questions at the moment. And worst of all, they wanted to know about Ekko. And I just couldn't bring that up..."

Kai'sa, Ahri and Evelynn exchanged worried glances.

Akali sighed. She looked the others straight in the eyes and decided to finally voice all her worries. "There's this guilt inside me that just won't go away. I feel like I completely failed Ekko. I could have protected him. But I didn't... That night, if I knew what was about to happen, I would have faced anyone who tried to take him away. I would have stopped them. No matter the cost."

Kai'sa shifted uncomfortably. She hesitated for a few moments before delivering. "You know, Akali? Our conscience hasn't exactly been clean either after that night. We just didn't tell you, because you got absolutely devastated..." She glanced at Ahri and Eve, who nodded for her to proceed. "Just think about it. Ekko was kidnapped at OUR house. Under OUR noses. Imagine how we felt about that..." She put her hand to her chest to emphasize what she was saying. "If it were in our power, we would have defended him. IF we knew, whoever wanted to take him would have to get through us first."

The concert lights shone in Ahri's sad eyes. "We do feel guilty that something as tragic as that happened inside our own house. But we had no idea it would happen. His kidnapper obviously had a plan and executed it perfectly. There was nothing any of us could do. And as sad as it may sound, there was nothing YOU could do either!"

Evelynn straightened herself up on her seat and her serious gaze met with Akali's. "You've got to drop the idea that any of what happened that night was your fault. It wasn't! It wasn't Ekko's fault. And it wasn't our fault." She leaned forward slightly to finish explaining herself. "The person who kidnapped him is the only one to blame, Akali. The only one. The blame only rests on that person's shoulders. And that's the pure truth."

Akali's eyes were wide open. Her mouth parted slightly. Her body was petrified from the shock. She didn't speak for long moments and her thoughts were flying everywhere. Her friends... Her friends were so right. The person who had taken her best friend away... They were the only ones responsible for what had happened. They had probably spied on Ekko. They had concocted the plan carefully so everything would go smoothly. And the kidnapping had been successful. And now Ekko was somewhere out there. Alone. With this monster.

The blood began intensely boiling in Akali's veins. Her hand clenched into a fist. "I... I really don't know what to say, girls. But you're right. You're absolutely right. That monster is the only one to blame..." She spat out coldly.

Ahri gave her a sympathetic look. "If you had caught his kidnapper in the act, I can only imagine how he would look after."

"He'd be in a pulp." Commented Evelynn with a smirk. "That's Akali for you."

Kai'sa had her eyes on Akali and the girl, with her whole body tense like a rock and her fist shaking from being painfully clenched, seemed about to catch on fire. In that moment, if someone told her Akali's gaze could cut through steel, she wouldn't doubt it. "Hey, are you OK, Akali?"

Her friend raised her eyes and they were like two burning embers. "Yes, thank you. I was looking at this whole thing completely wrong..."

Kai'sa smiled and walked over to the upset girl. She put her arm over her shoulders to try to calm her down. "That's OK. We all need a little help sometimes. Please don't beat yourself over this."

Slowly, through some deep breaths and Kai'sa's encouraging words, Akali cooled down. On the outside that is. Because inside her, the flame that had ignited still burned bright like the sun. It was a powerful will to go out there and find Ekko herself. To save him from whatever torment he was being put through. And there was also this dark feeling of wanting to make his kidnapper pay for what he had done. For even daring to lay a finger on her friend...

"Thanks girls. Coming here really was a great idea. The last weeks have been really difficult for me." Akali said with a smile. Despite not showing it to them, now, more than ever, she felt capable of anything.

"We got you girl." Said Ahri with a kind smile that made the skin around her eyes wrinkle tenderly.

The demonstrations of affection were short lived. Evelynn got up out of nowhere and began intensely staring at someone who was passing by. "Oh. Who's that?" She asked as a smirk drew itself on her lips.

The others didn't even need to turn around to know that she had found a potential company for the night. The tone of her voice spoke volumes. Akali, slightly amused, rolled her eyes. She decided to check on whoever it was that Eve was interested in and her mouth fell open.

"Hey Akali! I've been looking for you." Said Kayn raising his arm in the air as a greeting. "Good evening, girls. It's a pleasure to meet the stars of the moment." He politely acknowledged the rest of the group.

Evelynn was interested in spending the night with Kayn? It wasn't as if he wasn't good-looking or anything. But for Akali, it felt somewhat weird that one of her best friends wanted to hook up with someone she had been childhood friends with, more or less. "Hey Kayn." She greeted him with a small wave.

"So this is that Kayn you were talking about." Commented Kai'sa looking him in the eyes. "It's also a pleasure to meet you."

Akali took a step forward and reached into her pocket. "I suppose you came for your pass?"

"Yeah, thanks. I hope those pesky paparazzi didn't bother you too much. " Kayn accepted the small paper with a smile. "I also came to ask if we can keep in touch on Twitter or so. It was real nice to find you after all this time."

Akali smiled. "Sure. Just message me anytime and we can talk!"

"Great! I gotta go now. It's my turn to hop on stage. Wish me luck girls!"

The young man began distancing himself and Evelynn crossed her arms in disappointment. "Ah, I see, he's busy. They always are. Men nowadays are a real pain in the neck."

Ahri chuckled at Eve's comment and turned to Akali. "So Kayn's a DJ."

"Well, from what I picked up, he's still a rapper. But he's trying to branch out as a DJ. He's not having much luck getting noticed you see?" Akali explained.

"Ah bummer." Said Ahri while she watched him getting the mixing table ready on stage. "I'm sure luck will come knocking on his door sooner or later. Let's see how well he does."

Kayn had just began sending out some beats and his music rapidly took over. He wasn't as experienced or confident as someone like Yasuo or Sona and that was pretty obvious. His movements were a bit stiff from the nervousness and he seemed more worried with keeping everything under control than with letting himself flow with the rhythm. But the music was actually quite decent. The surrounding crowd seemed to agree.

"Not bad." Said Ahri with a small smile. She looked at Akali and she seemed quite pleased with the sound. Her eyes were sparkling as she was really focused on Kayn and her grin was wide. She smirked and decided to mess with her friend a bit. "Do you like him, Akali? You're smiling a lot."

It was as if someone had suddenly poured a bucket of cold water on the girl. She ceased to smile and her eyes widened. Annoyed, she faced Ahri. "WHAT? Of course not! What makes you say that?"

The fox girl let out a pristine laugh. "Relax. I'm just teasing!" With a playful smile on her lips, she added. "Maybe you could help him get some recognition. Perhaps in a collab of sorts in the future?"

Akali's expression became milder when she realized Ahri wasn't being serious. "Yeah. That could be a good idea. I'll think about it."

Ahri smiled and looked around to check on the others. Kai'sa was already happily dancing to the beat and Evelynn had left them and was hitting on a blonde guy a few meters away. The nine-tailed fox sighed and shook her head. Those two would never change.

\-----

Senna gently covered her mouth to hide a yawn. As she walked through the hallway, she was suddenly dazzled by the sunlight getting in through the window. The girl instinctively shielded her eyes with her arm and once she recovered, she took a look outside. The sun was shining above the skyscrapers and the sky was like a polished sapphire. The clothes that were drying on the clothesline were completely still, indicating there wasn't any wind blowing. It seemed like it was going to be a pleasant sunny day of Fall and that thought made Senna smile.

She adjusted her robe before making her way to the kitchen. Once she got through the door, she saw Qiyana and Yasuo were already there. "Morning, guys."

Qiyana looked like a pink hurricane, all enveloped in her fluffy robe and with messy hair. She was looking down at her coffee and didn't seem well-rested with small bags under her eyes. But maybe it was because she hadn't done her makeup yet. Once she took notice of Senna's presence, she lifted her head up and greeted her. Yasuo had already dressed and shaved as usual. He was holding the TV in his hands as he inspected it carefully and was very concentrated. He uttered a quick "good morning" but didn't even turn around.

"Is something wrong with the TV?" Asked Senna, raising an eyebrow.

"It's not working." Qiyana quickly explained, taking a sip of her coffee. "Any luck, Yas?"

The man shook his head. "I'll call the repairman later."

And Senna raised her eyebrows in surprise. "But what for? We can just ask Ekko to try and fix..." When she realized what she had just said, she instinctively covered her mouth. Qiyana jolted in her seat from the surprise and stared at her, wide-eyed. Yasuo froze in place, turned around and gave her a confused look. The tension in the room had insanely increased in a matter of seconds.

Slightly embarrassed, Senna gently rubbed her eyes. "I'm so sorry guys... I'm still half asleep." She tried to excuse herself.

There was now a hint of sadness in Yasuo's eyes. He turned around and put the TV down. Qiyana seemed a bit annoyed and somberly looked at her coffee. "His parents got up super early. They're already out, looking for him." She commented in a tone of voice that came off as a bit cold.

"I see..." Said Senna, rubbing her arm, trying mask her uneasiness. "They're going back next Friday, aren't they? They can't afford to miss more work."

"Yeah." Qiyana said, dryly.

Senna shifted uncomfortably. She went ahead and picked up an apple from the fruit bowl. As she leaned against the counter, the silence in the room was deafening. The tension, almost palpable. "Great going, Senna..." She thought to herself.

In that moment, the sound of approaching footsteps could be heard in the hallway. Akali showed up at the door frame, already dressed and with her hair perfectly combed. "Good morning guys!" She exclaimed, with a smile on her lips.

Yasuo had picked up a magazine he himself had bought that morning, and was now sitting down at the table across Qiyana. A cup of warm tea fumed in front of him. "You're up early." He commented, addressing Akali.

"Yep. Came back at 2 a.m." She explained. "Already slept enough." She walked over to the coffee machine and grabbed a cup that was beside it.

Senna was grateful for Akali's arrival. She had cut the heavy tension and killed the uncomfortable silence. Plus, she seemed way more cheerful. "How was it last night? Did you have fun with the other K/DA?" She wished to know.

Akali waited for the machine to finish pouring the coffee and for the noise to stop before replying. "Yeah. I missed hanging out with them. They really helped me cheer up." She said.

"I can see that." Senna commented with a smile. "What were you up to?"

"Kai'sa made us dinner. Because, of course she did..." She joked, rolling her eyes. "Spicy ramen. It was delicious." The girl pulled up a chair and sat down next to Yasuo. "Then we went to a concert. We were with Sona, even! She's back from her tour..."

Qiyana observed Akali as she narrated the events of the previous night. The ice in her veins melted. Seeing the girl who seemed so depressed the last few weeks, so happy, made her smile on the inside. Then, her eyes found Yasuo. He was sitting back and reading his magazine while sipping some tea. Qiyana smirked internally. She was sure he had bought it to see if there were any news on the upcoming Star Guardian comics. Senna was resting her head on her hand and simply listening to Akali with a smile adorning her lips.

This was the calmest moment they had had, ever since that fateful night. Seeing everyone just enjoying themselves and relaxing, filled Qiyana to the brim with joy. Even if she didn't show it.

But the peace was short lived...

All of a sudden, Yasuo straightened himself on his chair. His eyebrows were furrowed and he was supporting a heavy frown on his face. His eyes were focused on the pages and his hands were heavily gripping both edges of the magazine.

Qiyana was taken aback by his behavior and blinked in confusion. "Yasuo? Is everything all right?"

The man didn't answer immediately. His gaze was sliding through each line and his eyes kept on narrowing with the concentration. Once he finished reading whatever had warranted such reaction, he just lifted his head up and spoke. "Akali!? What is this?"

Confused, the girl stopped talking and turned to face Yasuo. "Huh? What's what?"

"Has Akali found Ekko's replacement?" He read in a very serious tone.

Akali's eyes widened. "WHAT!?" She was completely lost. "What do you mean?"

Both Senna and Qiyana had been caught completely off-guard. The shock had rendered them speechless.

"There's an entire interview here with the rapper that you supposedly invited to join us." Yasuo said, turning to the magazine once again. "My name is Kayn, I'm 23. Akali and I were friends when we were younger. We grew up in the same neighborhood. I was one of the people who introduced her to rap and she quickly surpassed me. She's always been so talented."

Akali's heart started beating fast as confusion and panic settled in. Was this what Kayn was telling the paparazzi when they surrounded him the previous night?

"It's not easy to gain track in an industry so big, so Akali has agreed to help me." Yasuo read in a disappointed tone. "Despite her moving away, we never lost touch. She said she came to the concert to watch my performance and to support me. I couldn't have asked for a better friend." Yasuo lifted his eyes from the paper to check on Akali, who looked absolutely horrified with what she was hearing. "Then it says: Akali, from the hugely successful K/DA has apparently contemplated the possibility of inviting Kayn to join True Damage. Following the tragic incident involving Ekko, the band has been left without one of its members. It's reasonable that Akali would try to find a replacement for the young rapper and Kayn seems like an eligible candidate. Could that be the reason why the two of them retreated to a quieter spot? So they could have this private conversation in peace? Or could there be something more going on between them?"

"WHAT? Just, WHAT?" Akali screamed, her face beginning to turn red with indignation. "It's true that I was with Kayn last night. But I NEVER asked him to join us! In what world does he THINK he can replace Ekko??? I NEVER said anything like that to him! And we DIDN'T keep in touch! HE'S LYING!"

Qiyana's and Senna's expressions had gone from shocked to worried. Yasuo just looked extremely angry. "There's more: Akali revealed to me tonight that she invited Ekko when she formed TD, simply because it was more convenient to her. Otherwise, she would have chosen me instead. But it is what it is and I respect her decision."

Akali was positively fuming. She put her hands over her face to try and control the desire to flip the table over. "I'm going to be sick."

Yasuo put the magazine down on the table. He crossed his arms and took a deep breath as he tried making sense of what he had just read.

Qiyana had recovered from the shock and was now frowning heavily. Her eyes were sparking with anger. "Puta madre! Que cabrón!"

This drove Senna to stare at her, wide-eyed. When Qiyana started swearing in Spanish, it was known things had just gotten real. That is why they all knew Qiyana had never been actually upset with Ekko, even when he really got under her nerves. She'd never thrown Spanish swears at him...

This little thought was a jab at her heart and she immediately sent it away. The present situation was difficult enough as it is.

"Asshole!" Akali complained. "Just to think he used me to get attention!" Her blood was like lava, burning in her veins. "If I get my hands on Kayn, I'm going to kill him!"

"He took advantage of Ekko's situation to gain fame... What an absolute jerk!" Commented Senna in a very serious tone. "Even if the worst happened and Ekko never came back, we would NEVER replace him."

"Ekko isn't a flat tire that we can just throw away. He's one of us." Yasuo said with a calm that he didn't feel.

"Agreed." Said Senna.

Akali was trying her best to regulate her breaths and keep calm. She was fiercely fighting the urge to break everything around her and Qiyana noticed it. Feeling bad for her friend, the Latina girl reached out to her and gently touched her arm. "Hey, it's ok Akali. We'll take care of that "hijo de puta". I'll give him a piece of my mind. Just you wait and see."

\-----

"You didn't bleed this time." Commented Sylas meanly, while putting his clothes back on. "You must be getting used to us being inside you."

Lying down on the bed, Ekko had adopted the fetal position and was doing his best to withstand the severe pain rushing through his body. The poor child was trying to silence his own sobs and cried quietly. Sylas hated it when he sobbed and had forbidden it in his presence. He dreaded being punished for disobeying the man.

They all had different approaches when it came to taking him on. They all had different rules he needed to obey and distinct punishments if he broke them. But every single one left him feeling empty inside. It was as if every time they attacked him, they took a small piece of his soul. In its place, only pain, misery and shame were left behind. And every time, it felt like there was a little less of him. His identity and humanity were slipping away, leaving only a lifeless body behind. An empty shell that was meant to be used and abused and nothing more.

Amidst his tears, Ekko watched Sylas opening the door and leaving the room. Not even five seconds later, someone else emerged in the darkness of the hallway. Once the new presence came into the room's light, Ekko's body froze in place, his eyes widened and he stopped breathing.

"Hello, my little one." He heard. His heart began beating like a drum inside his chest. "I hope Sylas didn't hurt you much."

Viktor's voice was smooth, silky and calm. Very different from the bitter, rage-filled tone he had been using lately, ever since the attempted escape. He sounded very pleased... Fear crawled down Ekko's spine. Something was wrong. What could have possibly made Viktor happy? He was also keeping his hands behind his back as if he was hiding something. It made Ekko's stress levels turn up to eleven.

The man was already right next to him, giving him those creepy, lustful looks. The boy didn't move a muscle. He simply waited for the abuse to start, with his heart in his throat. And it didn't take long.

First, Viktor let go of whatever he was carrying and let it fall on the bed, but Ekko couldn't see what it was. The boy jolted when he saw the man's hands coming for him. Viktor wrapped his fingers around Ekko's neck and dragged him upwards, making him sit upright. Then he sat down on the bed beside him and forced the child to sit on his lap. Ekko was coughing heavily and taking deep breaths to recover from the short strangulation. But the abuser didn't give him much time to regain his composure. He simply pulled the boy back-first against his chest and wrapped his arms around the smaller body. Terrified and in pain, but without showing even an ounce of resistance, Ekko stayed still and waited for the rest to unfold.

But "the rest" did not happen as he was expecting.

Viktor didn't begin touching him everywhere or begin licking and biting his ear as usual. He stood still with his arms enveloping his chest and his head resting on the boy's shoulder. Like he was simply hugging him. Ekko's heart was beating wildly. He wasn't understanding anything. What was going on with Viktor? Why the drastic change in attitude? What was that object he had brought with him?

And then, the answers started coming.

"Little one, when you tried running away from me, you really hurt my feelings." Viktor began saying in a fake sad tone. "But it's ok. I want you to know that I forgive your attempted escape. I'm sorry I've been so hard on you, lately. You're still a child and children make mistakes, but you needed to learn your lesson. If I punished you, it's because I care." Viktor said with a smile. "I love you, Ekko. You know that, don't you?"

A few moments of silence followed.

The boy was at a loss for words. He didn't know what to answer to such a ridiculous statement. He became extremely divided. One side of him dreaded opening his mouth in fear of a harsh punishment for stepping out of line. The other side of him refused to accept what the man had said and was dying to talk back. He simply couldn't stand hearing the words "I love you" from the mouth of someone who had stolen him from his loved ones, taken away his freedom, his dignity and his innocence. A demon who had caused him nothing but unbearable pain. He could end up regretting it, but he had to say something.

"You don't love me." He whispered coldly.

Viktor frowned. "What is it that you said, little one?"

Ekko closed his eyes and gathered up the courage to speak louder. "You don't love me!". He spat accusingly. He could already feel the sting of a painful slap incoming.

But nothing happened.

He opened his eyes up again in shock. Contrary to his expectations, the man hadn't moved to punish him in any way. Instead, he was still holding him close and resting his head on his shoulder while breathing softly into his neck.

Through the corner of his eye, Ekko could see a creepy smirk drawing itself on Viktor's lips.

"Who loves you then, Ekko? Who? Your little friends back home? Your family?" And with a devious smile, Viktor played the last card. "Your dear Akali?"

The boy's heart skipped a beat. Was this monster really trying to go there? Was he trying to convince him that his loved ones didn't care about him so he would believe his empty, manipulative words? He knew Viktor was only trying to get into his head. And he wasn't going to let him. He trusted his parents. He knew his friends. He knew Akali.

They would never abandon him. Akali would never abandon him...  
They cared about him. They cared. He knew they cared. There was no doubt in his heart.

"I'm important to my family and friends." Ekko spat coldly as he glared daggers at his abuser. "They love me. But to you, I'll never be more than a toy for your sick pleasure."

There was a long moment of dead silence. The boy, once again, waited nervously for a painful hit that never came. Instead, he heard a mean chuckle.

"They love you, is that so?" Asked Viktor with a creepy smile. "I wouldn't be so sure, little one. Because maybe I know something that you don't..."

Ekko's eyes widened. "What... What are you saying?" He stuttered.

With an enigmatic grin crossing his face, the man unwrapped one of his arms from the boy's torso. He reached out for the object that he had dropped earlier, revealing it to be a magazine. It was already open on the page of interest and Viktor displayed it in front of his captive. "This issue came out this morning." He informed him with a devious smile.

Ekko's blood froze in his veins. The one in the pictures... The wild platinum blonde hair, the slim figure, the big grey-ish blue eyes, the fair skin. It couldn't be...

Akali?

In one of the pictures, the girl found herself in the middle of a crowd, dancing with the other K/DA, without a care in the world. She looked so happy... In another one, she was walking alongside a guy with a very long braid that seemed slightly familiar. Was that...Kayn? They were having a conversation and were grinning from ear to ear. In the next shot, Akali was once again accompanied by Kayn, surrounded by a group of paparazzi.

A part of him was so happy to see her, even if it was only in pictures. But at the same time, she was well aware that he was missing. Why didn't she look concerned in the slightest? Why was she at a concert, dancing with her friends as if everything was fine?

The boy wanted to believe that she had gone there only to cheer herself up or so. Surely his disappearance had had some kind of negative impact on her... But then Viktor turned the page. The title in bold white letters at the top made his heart feel very small.

"Has Akali found Ekko's replacement?"

Replacement.

Akali was... replacing him?

He had disappeared out of the blue. Had been kidnapped. And the first thing his friends thought of doing, was finding someone else to replace him in the band? Like he... like he wasn't important?

Kayn was the person being interviewed... It was him that Akali had chosen to take his spot in the band? The guy wasn't even good. He had so many memories of him struggling to get the simplest bar right...

It didn't say anywhere that it would be temporary. There was no mention of them wanting to find him. There was no mention of any worry at all.

He felt like he had begun sinking down a dark hole. The more he read, the deeper down he went...

No. He had to get out of it.

This was only Viktor trying to mess with his head. This wasn't real, it couldn't be.

"See? They've abandoned you, my little one. I'm all you have left." Viktor whispered in his ear, sending chills down his spine. He pulled him closer and hugged him tighter. "But I'm not like them. I'll never leave you."

The boy had had enough.

"No!" He made an effort to shy away from Viktor's advances "You're only trying to hurt me. None of this is real! My friends DO care and they're worried about me. I know they are."

The man saw that strong, raw confidence in the child's eyes. Such trust in his friends. So innocent. So pure... But at the same time, there was a glint of fear and doubt in there. He smiled with satisfaction.

"So cute. You can believe what you want, little one. But not even your blind trust in your dear friends can deny the evidence you have right in front of you." He said sweetly. He then proceeded to kiss the boy's cheek and let him go.

Ekko simply stayed in place, unmoving, as Viktor exited the room.

He didn't believe him. He didn't. It was all fake. He knew his friends...

But then, why was the seed of doubt growing inside his heart? He tried ignoring it. But it was there. It wouldn't go away.

What if... What if what Viktor was saying was potentially true? He didn't want it to be. He loathed the idea. But what if it was...?

His friends hadn't wasted time with finding someone to take his place in the group. Akali seemed so relaxed and happy for someone whose best friend's fate was unknown.

Did they really care? Did... did any of them care?

They seemed to be in such a hurry to get the band up and running again... Definitely for the money and so they wouldn't lose popularity... In the end, it felt like it didn't matter to them who was in his position. It didn't matter that he wasn't around anymore...

The teen slid off the bed onto the floor and leaned against the wall. He wasn't sure if he wanted to keep on reading, but his curiosity got the best of him. He picked up the magazine again and looked further down the page.

"Akali revealed to me tonight that she invited Ekko when she formed TD, simply because it was more convenient to her. Otherwise, she would have chosen me instead."

It was more... convenient to her...?

A convenience...

Was that all he was to Akali deep down?

It said in the article that she had been by Kayn's side while he was being interviewed, just like the picture from the other page showed. She had heard Kayn say this. And she hadn't objected. It was true...

His heart was racing.

Now that he was out of the picture, Akali had hurried to find the next most "convenient" guy on her list to replace him. Just like he had been the most convenient friend for her to make back then. Otherwise, why would a nine year old show any interest in playing with a six year old? And when she had reached her teen years, what good reason did she have to choose him over the rest of the kids? What sane fifteen year old would want to be seen around a twelve year old?

Fake.

That's what she was. That's all she had ever been. Fake. Their friendship was a whole bunch of nothing. He loved her, he cared about her. But she simply "needed" him. He just wished he had found out sooner. He had been so blind.

He dreaded what she would say if she discovered the situation he was in. She would laugh. She would say all the suffering served him right for being stupid and gullible and believing she actually gave a fuck about him.

His whole body was stiff like a stone. He began trembling. Everything hurt. He was so cold, inside and out. Ekko let out a grief filled sob and took his hands to his head in desperation. Even if he ever managed to get out of here, some of the people he had trusted the most had shown their true colors. He couldn't ever look at them the same way again.

The tears were streaming down his face.

They didn't care about him. They didn't give a damn if he was alive or dead.

His dear parents... They were the only ones who had always been there for him. But they were far away. There was nothing they could do to help. And if he ever went back, he wouldn't have the courage to look them in the eyes.

What would they say when they discovered he had been raped? They would be ashamed. Disgusted. They wouldn't want to even get close. Their only son was now dirty and impure. He had let himself get tricked in a ridiculous way and that had led to his capture. He had been so stupid. There was no one to blame for this situation except himself. He could already see his mom's horrified expression and his dad's disappointed face. And how could he blame them...?

He pulled his hair in frustration and let out a scream of despair.

He couldn't feel anything besides the tears falling down his face. Everything was numb.

He was so weak. Helpless. Stupid. Filthy.

He was an absolute miserable failure.

He would be better off dead...

And with a heavy heart, Ekko made a difficult decision. He reached under the bed and retrieved the thick rope that had bound his wrists so many times. With a blurry vision, letting out anguished sobs, he began tying a knot on one of its edges. To make a noose.

He had no future here. He would only keep on getting abused and tormented every minute until he finally collapsed. He had no future if he went back home. He would be loathed, everyone would be disgusted of his battered broken body. And so much of his old life had been a lie...

For a minute, Jhin came to his mind. The man had tried to help him. He had been so kind and done everything in his reach. But not even he could save him.

"I'm sorry..." The boy thought as more tears fell from his red-rimmed eyes. "You tried. It wasn't your fault. It was my fault. All my fault..." 

With difficulty, Ekko got up. His legs were weakened and wouldn't stop shaking. His head was spinning, a wave of nausea washed over him. He stumbled and almost fell, but was able to regain his balance at the last second. Slowly, he dragged himself to the opposite corner of the room. He picked up one of the old chairs that lay abandoned, covered in spiderwebs, and took it with him. He placed it below one of the ceiling beams. And with a horrible pain in his chest, he tied the rope so it was hanging above it.

This was it.

It would all be over soon...

As he climbed on top of the chair, he whispered what were about to be his last words.

"Thank you, Jhin. For everything."

\-----

Jhin was going up the stairs. The dust he lifted into the air with each step spiraled around his feet. Everything in the old house seemed calm.

He wondered how the boy was. He'd looked so down the day prior. He felt bad about just leaving the child like that. He'd brought him some things that he thought could cheer him up. It was the least he could do to make up for it.

The masked man arrived at the dimly lit second floor and approached the boy's room. Slowly, he withdrew the key and unlocked the door. The hinges creaked ominously and he stepped inside.

And then he saw it... On the opposite side of the room.

Jhin stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes opened wide in shock. He suspended his breathing. His entire body tensed.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing...

Ekko's lifeless body was hanging from the ceiling, gently swaying.


	18. Nothing to Lose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there guys! I'm terribly sorry that this chapter took so long to be published. I've been in a writer's block and also, with the new K/DA stuff coming out, I dedicated myself to studying the girls' personalities, so I could portray them more accurately. From what I saw in the comics and the promo arts, I think I did a pretty good job :) The only substantial thing I actively changed, was the fact that in the official K/DA lore, Kai'sa traveled around the world all her life. I need her to be in this city her entire life to serve my plot. But that doesn't change who she is in essence, so it's all good!  
> I hope you guys enjoy reading this chapter and please leave your amazing comments so I know how you are finding the new update!  
> Cheers!

It had begun to pour. In the distance, thunder roared like an angry lion.

Jhin's blood had frozen in his veins. For what seemed like an eternity, he couldn't make a move. The shock had turned him to stone, and the horrifying scene haunted his wide open eyes.

"Ekko..." He whispered in disbelief.

He forced himself to take a step forward and that was enough to resume control over his petrified body. The blood began circulating freely once again and he sprinted to the boy's side. He looked up in horror at the child hanging slightly above him.

Why...?

Why would Ekko do this...?

He knew he had been through hell. He knew he was suffering more than he could ever imagine.

But still... why?

Why did it have to end like this...?

"I'm so sorry, child. This shouldn't have happened." He said, even if Ekko could no longer hear him. "I failed you..."

With a heavy heart, without knowing what to do, Jhin gently took the boy's hand.

And then he realized...

It was still warm.

And it wasn't stiff...

The man blinked in surprise. His heart started racing inside his chest and he immediately checked for a pulse.

There wasn't one...

But if the body was still warm and there were no signs of stiffness... Then maybe, just maybe, he could still do something. He looked up at the teen's face with newfound hope.

Rapidly, yet carefully, he wrapped one arm around the boy's torso and used the other one to loosen the noose around his neck. His heart skipped a beat when the dark mark of the strangulation became visible. He winced at the sight, but he didn't let it stop him in his tracks. He was racing against time and if he took too long, it could end up being too late for Ekko.

Gently, he set the boy free from the rope and enveloped him in his arms. He couldn't ignore how light the child was. Ekko wasn't particularly tall and had undoubtedly grown thinner over the month he had been imprisoned. It was like holding a fragile baby bird.

"You may have lost all hope. But I'm not giving up on you, child." The man said with determination, gently laying the boy down on the ground. Without wasting any more time, Jhin placed both hands over Ekko's chest and put himself in position. Then, he pushed against the center of his chest with every ounce of strength that he could muster. Again, again and again, to try to get his heart working once more.

Jhin put his back into the task at hand. Beads of sweat began running down his chest and back. The mask was trapping the heat around his face, worsening the sweating. His arms and hands began hurting from the sheer amount of strength he was applying on the teen's torso.

"Come on, Ekko. You can pull through..." Jhin said to encourage himself to keep going, despite the fatigue and the pain. "I believe in you, kid." He stopped the compressions for a few moments and turned to the boy's face. After making sure his head was slightly tilted back, he carefully pinched his nose and administrated two rescue breaths.

The man kept on applying the first-aid procedures for what seemed like an eternity. He couldn't stop. Memories of the green-eyed boy that had died in his arms because of Viktor's abuse invaded his mind. He would do everything in his power so Ekko wouldn't suffer the same fate... He would keep on trying until all his strength had left him. Until there was no time and hope left. For the poor boy's sake.

And then, out of the blue...

He felt a tender heartbeat.

Jhin's eyes widened. "Ekko?" He whispered, his chest brimming with hope. He placed his hand a few centimeters above the child's nose and felt a soft breath. He smiled. With renewed strength, Jhin decided it was best to keep on applying the compressions until there was a more prominent physical response.

And there eventually was.

The man observed as Ekko's eyebrows furrowed. His eyes opened very slowly.

With sore muscles and his arms about to go numb, Jhin ceased the strenuous compressions. He sighed in relief at the signs of life and placed one hand over the boy's chest. The teen's eyes innocently turned to him. The confusion brewing in his mind was very visible.

"Welcome back, child. You gave me quite the scare." Jhin sweetly said with a tender smile that the boy couldn't see. Ekko's eyes moved around for a bit, observing his surroundings. One could safely say that, for a bit, he couldn't recall anything of what had transpired. He looked completely lost as he tried to understand what was happening.

"Jhin, what... what's going on...?" He whispered.

But suddenly, he jolted. The noose hanging from the ceiling came into view.

His eyes widened and his hand clenched into a fist. The memories flooded him like pouring rain, all coming back at once. With a racing heart and a bit of effort, the teen straightened himself into a sitting position. His tragic eyes darted to Jhin.

"Why?" He asked in a broken whisper.

The man's eyebrows furrowed. He eyed the boy with concern.

"Jhin... Why did you save me...?" Ekko demanded to know. His lips began twitching, warm tears forming in his sorrowful eyes. "Why?"

Jhin rubbed the poor boy's arm soothingly. "Don't cry, child. It's ok now."

The tears started running down Ekko's face. "Why? I didn't want to be saved. I wanted to go. Why didn't you let me go!? Why didn't you let me die?"

The despair in the child's words made Jhin's heart break in two. He didn't know what to say. He tried simply holding the boy's trembling hand in a comforting gesture. "Ekko... It's going to be fine. You're going to be fine. I'm here now..." But the teen harshly pulled away. He wasn't listening. His entire body was shaking in anguish. His heart was beating so fast, it was as if it could rip through his chest at any moment. Giving in to despair, Ekko violently gripped his hair with his hands.

"Why? Why? Why? WHY? I wanted to go! I can't take this anymore! They're only going to use me. Again and again and again and again. They're going to keep on tearing me apart! Every single day. I can't take it!"

Jhin felt like a statue. Utterly useless. He couldn't reach Ekko. The boy was completely lost inside his broken mind.

Shaking uncontrollably, Ekko pointed his index finger at Jhin. "WHY? You want me to suffer even more, don't you?! That's your plan. You like to see me hurting! Just like everyone else! You're just pretending like you care! LIKE EVERYONE ELSE!" He almost shouted.

Jhin's heart nearly stopped. "Ekko, I do care about you. I'm doing all I can..."

With tears streaming down his face, Ekko covered both his ears with his hands. "Stop it! You're a LIAR! Everyone's a dirty liar!" He clenched his eyes shut. "I trusted Akali! I trusted her! I was loyal to her! And the moment I was gone, she FORGOT ME!" The child's sobs were uncontrollable. "My friends... They all abandoned me. They all did. And my parents... I can't go back to them. They're going to be disgusted of me. They're going to hate me! I can't go back. I can't go back. I can't go back. I can't go back!" He bawled, pulling violently at his hair. "I can't stay here. And I can't go back home. My only option was to disappear for good. And you took that away from me!"

Jhin's chest was empty. There was a tightness in his throat. Out of options, he inched closer to the weeping child and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"Let go of me!" The boy instantly pushed him away. And Jhin backed off. The boy's eyes were seething with anger, like a raging fire burning bright. "Stop pretending like you care! I HATE YOU!"

The boy's words cut through him like knives. But he did not resent them. They were coming from a very dark place inside Ekko's crumbling heart, full of fear, anger and shame. The poor child had completely lost his way. He didn't know what he was saying.

"I'm sorry, Ekko... I'm really sorry. For everything. You don't deserve anything of what happened to you." Jhin said.

But Ekko didn't listen to a single word. With his heart beating like a drum, he pulled his knees to his chest, wrapped his arms around them and buried his face in them. Heart-wrenching wails began to echo around the room. His whole body shook with every painful sob.

Jhin just stayed in place, watching him with a hole in his chest. All he wanted was to give the boy a hug and guarantee him that everything would be all right. He wished he could wipe his tears, leave this old putrid house with him in his arms and take him home to his family. So he would be safe at last.

But things are never so easy...

Jhin hesitated a bit before speaking. "Look Ekko... I know you said your friends and family don't care about you. But I don't believe it's true. Why would they not care...?"

This time, the boy listened to the man's words. He raised his head and looked at him with his tear-streaked face. "I-I didn't want... to believe it." The sobs interrupted his speech. "But... I was g-given proof that they don't..."

Jhin frowned. This "proof" had to be Viktor's doing. There was no way the boy's family and friends would abandon him just because he disappeared...

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a magazine that had been dropped to the floor, next to the bed. That may be what Viktor had used to disturb Ekko so much. Curious, he got up and walked over to it. When he picked it up, the name "Akali" immediately caught his eye.

"This has to be it. Ekko said this "Akali" abandoned him." He thought to himself.

He skimmed through the page and what he picked up on was enough to understand what had happened. The journalist had more than likely blown everything out of proportion as media always does. But Ekko was too weakened and distressed to think clearly and had taken everything written there as true.

Jhin looked over at the boy, weeping sorrowfully, with his face hidden in his arms. His shoulders twitched with every sob. His legs trembled violently. He looked so small and helpless, all curled up...

Jhin's chest tightened. Tears welled in his eyes. Unable to witness the child's horrible meltdown any longer, his sight fell upon the magazine in his hand. Ekko was only a child. An innocent young boy who believed he had been abandoned by everyone he ever trusted. And who was destined to remain in the clutches of a disgusting creep until he drew his last breath.

He didn't deserve this... This was a torture he wouldn't wish on his worst enemy...

Gathering up the courage, Jhin turned to the side, to look at Ekko once again. And his eyes widened... He observed with horror as the teen's eyes closed involuntarily, his arms went limp and he began falling down. He landed on his back with a thud. Alarmed, Jhin hurried to his side and immediately touched his neck to check his heartbeat. Ekko's chest was rising and falling as it should. His heart was racing, but that was due to the insane levels of stress he had just undergone. Long tear streaks were drawn on his face. A single teardrop escaped his eye and rolled down his cheek.

The immense pain, horrific fear and intense panic, had been way too much for Ekko's fragile body and mind to handle, leading him to shut down completely.

Jhin sighed. He carefully brushed the falling tear off the boy's face with his thumb and even through the gloves, he could feel how cold he was. He gently wrapped his arms around his naked body and carried the teen over to the bed. The boy was gently layed down as if he were made of thin glass and the warm covers were pulled over him.

Jhin blinked rapidly to dissipate his tears. His hand clenched into a fist. Ekko's mind was very unstable. The smallest thing could make him snap, leading him to try to end his own life once again. He was nervous about leaving him alone. But he also couldn't wait. The longer he stayed without taking action, the worse the boy's mental state could get.

He had to do something.

He had to get Ekko out of here as soon as possible.

Without wasting any more time, the man hurried to untie the rope from the ceiling beam and proceeded to hide it under the bed. He then turned to the boy's unconscious body and with trembling fingers, took the phone out of his pocket. The boy's closed eyes and tear streaked face appeared on the screen. It made Jhin's heart skip a beat as he pressed the button to take a picture.

\-----

"He's hiding something, I'm telling you..." Zed said with a frown. He was standing in the middle of the old, dusty living room, trying to convince his partners.

Graves, who was sitting on the sofa next to TF, rolled his eyes. "Yeah. He must be really hiding something. Like the last twenty guys that you were suspicious of."

TF laughed. "You were even suspicious of me! You thought I was stealing stuff from Vik at some point, wasn't it? What did you even think I was doing with it?"

"You're just constantly suspicious of everyone and everything. How do you expect us to take you seriously?" Sylas added in a serious tone, shaking his head.

Zed became furious, being disregarded like that by his peers. "This time it's different!" He swore. "And I'm going to prove I'm right."

Sylas raised one eyebrow, clearly disbelieving. "Good luck with that."

"I mean, Jhin IS a weirdo. He never takes off that creepy mask..." Graves criticized. "But what kind of threat does he represent? Could he be planning to make a oil painting of us at home?" He joked in an ominous voice.

"Oh, that sounds terrifying!" Commented TF, letting out a loud cackle.

The assassin's blood was boiling in his veins. He tried reasoning with them. "Doesn't anyone find it weird that the last two kids we were imprisoning like this were saved by the police because they knew EXACTLY where to find us?"

TF looked bored. "Those hiding places weren't good enough. Even Viktor admitted he was a bit careless. And that's not something you hear every day."

"How is that linked to Jhin?" Sylas wished to know. "Viktor has known him for a couple of years and trusts him. Besides, the guy was already around when we imprisoned the first kids. And those times, the police didn't come for us."

"One of those died!" Zed almost shouted. The vein on his head was getting more pronounced and darker by the second.

"Whatever." TF reclined back on the sofa and put his hat over his face.

"I have better things to do." Sylas complained, hurrying to leave the room.

Zed was left fuming, with a bitter taste in his mouth. But he wasn't worried, for he had a plan. 

Soon he was going to make them eat their own words...

\-----

"All right, I'm heading out. Gotta get some groceries." Said Senna, picking up her purse.

Qiyana, who was sitting on the couch, manicuring her nails, turned to her friend. "But I went to the supermarket yesterday."

Senna gave her a bored expression. "You forgot the asparagus and the carrots." She proceeded to roll her eyes. "Again..."

"Oh." The girl's eyes widened for a brief moment. She put on a forced smile and shrugged. "Oops..."

Senna made a small smile and shook her head in disapproval. She opened the door, ready to leave.

"Wait!" Qiyana called out, grabbing her attention. "Where's Akali at?"

"Upstairs. She said she wanted to hone her martial arts skills. I gotta go now. See ya!"

The door closed. Qiyana put her nail file down on the coffee table and admired her handiwork. Her eyes wandered off in the direction of the stairs and she wondered if Akali had already finished her training. The girl hesitated for a little bit before deciding to get up.

Akali's bedroom door was open. Filled with curiosity, Qiyana approached slowly. The hallway was entirely covered in carpet and the sound of her steps was muffled by the soft material beneath her feet. She peeked through the door frame and found Akali executing powerful karate kicks in front of the full body mirror. Beads of sweat ran down her face and neck and her eyes were narrowed with the concentration. Soft grunts escaped her parted lips each time she thrust her leg and her gloved hands were clenched into fists.

It took a few moments before the girl spotted Qiyana's reflection in the mirror, staring back at her. Sweating profusely, Akali straightened herself and turned around to face her friend. "Oh, hey."

Qiyana stepped inside the room and looked around at the clothes scattered everywhere, the unmade bed and a collection of magazines in random patterns on the floor. "Sorry for the mess. I got really into the training and basically forgot about everything else." Akali excused herself, grabbing a bottle of water that she had left nearby.

The girl decided it would be better to leave that subject alone and didn't make any comments. "I didn't know you still practiced martial arts." She simply said.

"Well, I kinda stopped when I joined K/DA, but now I'm training again." She raised the bottle to her lips and took a sip.

Qiyana thought about the reply for a few moments and furrowed her eyebrows. "Is it because of what happened to Ekko?"

The water bottle was lowered and Akali gave her a sad smile. "Yeah... If he ever comes back, I'll make sure to protect him."

Qiyana's eyes widened slightly. "That's... Well, very brave of you." She observed as her friend turned around and opened a drawer to retrieve a big fluffy towel.

"Thank you, but... It feels like just training isn't good enough." When Akali turned around, she was frowning. "I want to see if I can do something by myself."

There was a moment of silence.

"What do you mean?"

"I want to try to find him on my own. Conduct my own investigation. The police isn't getting anywhere. And I have nothing to lose."

Qiyana took a step forward. "Akali... The people who kidnapped him aren't to be messed with. I know you, Ahri and the others have put many idiots in their place before. But we're talking about dangerous criminals, not a bunch of drunk thugs who can't even see straight!"

It was Akali's turn to step forward. She put a hand on Qiyana's shoulder. "Look, I know it's very dangerous. But if I find even the smallest clue, I'm not backing down." The girl claimed. "I just... I just want him to be OK."

Qiyana frowned. She didn't want Akali to get hurt. She was beginning to doubt Ekko would ever be found. According to "Miss Sunglasses" there were almost no clues that she and the other police officers could follow. A month had passed. The chances of the boy coming back home dimmed by the second. With a deep hurt inside her chest, Qiyana sighed. "¡Ay, mi Madre! I understand. And it's not like I can stop you, you're way too stubborn. Just please be careful and don't do anything too crazy..."

A smile drew itself on Akali's lips. She let go of her shoulder. "Thank you, Qiyana. Please don't tell the others. They don't have to worry about me."

The discomfort on the girl's face aggravated, but she nodded in agreement. Akali's smile widened and she turned around to close the drawer. This action drew Qiyana's attention to a photo of all four K/DA girls on top of the closet.

"Well, I'm gonna take a shower." Announced Akali in a more relaxed tone, untying her long, wild hair and letting it fall over her shoulders. She grabbed the towel and headed for the door.

Qiyana was silent for a few moments, just observing the photo. "Hm... Kali?" She called. "Before you go: Didn't you say that Evelynn got into a bit of a mess with the police because of the whole bathroom camera thing?"

The girl, who was already half way through the hallway, stopped and turned around. "Yep, she did. And it's not the first time she's at odds with the law. But there's little money can't solve, isn't that right?" She replied with a wink.

\-----

Far off in the distance, the city lights were shining bright. The windows reflected the artificial illumination, bringing into existence an absolute mess of colors. The horns of the vehicles, the roar of the engines created a cacophony that filled the still night air. 

Jhin parked his car on the side of the quiet road. He turned off the headlights and shut down the engine and the noisy vehicle fell into absolute silence. He was here, in this city that so many believed to be devoid of crime, but where so many horrible things still happened behind the scenes, with a single goal in mind.

Without wasting time, the man dipped his hand into his pocket and fetched his cellphone. As expected, he finally had good reception. He reached for a piece of paper where he had written down the approximate coordinates of the old house in the woods and took a brief look at it.

Jhin breathed in deeply. This was it. He had been extremely careful not to get followed and looked around to make sure no one was watching. The inside of the car was enveloped in darkness and the shadows would cover him. With determination, he looked for the phone number that he had previously saved and his thumb pressed the button to initiate the call.

\-----

"You want some coffee, Cupcake?" Vi asked. "I'll get some for myself, so I can bring you a cup."

White as a sheet of paper, with bags under her eyes that looked heavy enough to pull her head down, Caitlyn was sitting down at her desk. Lost amidst mountains of paperwork, she tried hiding a big yawn. Needless to say, it wasn't a successful attempt. "No thanks, Vi. I'm not tired..."

Faced with such a blatant lie, Vi crossed her arms and shook her head in disapproval. "Yeah, Cupcake. You're not tired and I'm the Easter Bunny. You've been working way too hard. It's two cups for you!"

The young Chief stopped half way through her signature to look at her friend. "No, Vi. I'm serious. You don't have to..."

But she was promptly ignored. "What about you, Jayce? Want anything?"

"Just bring me water, please." He requested without taking his eyes off the screen.

Puzzled, Vi raised an eyebrow. "That's it? No coffee? No soda? Just... water?"

Amused by his friend's confusion, Jayce smirked. "Just plain, regular, old water."

The pink-haired girl was not impressed. "You're so boring, old man." She joked, heading for the door. "I'll be right back."

Once Vi was gone, Caitlyn sighed as she finished signing her name at the bottom of the page. "I really didn't need that coffee. I'm perfectly fine..."

"There's no changing her mind once she decides to do something. You know that better than me." Jayce commented with a smile. He was sitting across Caitlyn, typing busily on his laptop. "I always thought I was stubborn, but then I met her... Sheesh!"

The girl let out a crystalline laugh that really helped her ease up and relax. She put down her pen to take a well-deserved break and Jayce followed her example by distancing himself from the computer screen.

"Jokes aside, Vi's right, you know? You've been working overtime every single day for the past weeks. You can't push yourself so much." The man commented with worry adorning his features.

"Work doesn't do itself... And you guys have been doing extra hours too."

"You're right, we have, but we sleep when we get home, and that clearly hasn't been happening with you. And you're also right about work. It doesn't do itself, but you have to look after your health." He added.

Caitlyn let out yet another sigh. "I know... But it's hard. It isn't just the Chief-related work. The latest cases have been nearly impossible..." Almost instinctively, her eyes found the picture of the missing boy that she kept next to the papers on her desk. "It's been a month. And we made little to no progress."

Jayce also looked at the picture and frowned. "That's a very tough case. Just like anything Viktor-related... But I've caught that monster once. I believe it can be done again. He's very smart, but the perfect crime just doesn't exist."

Caitlyn furrowed her eyebrows. "Yes, you're right. We have to just keep going and hope for the best."

Suddenly the phone began ringing, cutting through the silence of the night. Caitlyn looked at it for a second and quickly picked it up.

"Good evening. Los Angeles Police Department, how can I help you?"

The voice that answered was rich and smooth. "Good evening. My apologies, beforehand, for I cannot reveal my identity or location and made my number private. Just making this call puts lives at risk..."

Caitlyn's eyes widened. "There are lives at risk?" She inquired, grabbing Jayce's attention. Vi, who had just walked through the door, began putting down the drinks, listening closely.

"I could explain you my situation, but that is not important." He rapidly explained. "What matters, however, is that I have information regarding Ekko, the boy who was kidnapped around a month ago. I want to help you find him."

The young Chief's mouth fell open. It seemed almost unbelievable. She furrowed her eyebrows with slight disbelief. "I'm sorry but, how can I verify the veracity of your statement?"

There was silence for a few moments on the other side.

"I've sent you a picture of the boy that I took in the room where he is being imprisoned." The man ended up saying.

A message popped up on the computer. Caitlyn's eyes widened once again. It was all happening so suddenly. She grabbed the mouse and clicked the file. Her shocked face in reaction to what she saw on screen, prompted Vi and Jayce to move to her side so they could check what she was looking at. Needless to say, their mouths also opened wide.

"That's the kid!" Vi said.

Jayce frowned. "Is the person on the phone asking for ransom? After so long?"

Caitlyn shook her head. She covered the phone with her free hand and whispered. "No. This man says he has information on him to help us."

Jayce's eyes narrowed. It was somewhat suspicious...

On the other end of the line, the man spoke again. "He is being kept in an old house in the middle of the woods. I'm going to give you the coordinates so you can get to the place."

In a flash, Caitlyn pulled a sheet of paper over and grabbed her pen. "Please, proceed."

"Very well." He replied. And began slowly enumerating the coordinates to make sure the officer would get them correctly. "Try to be a stealthy as you can. They will not hesitate to hurt the boy if they find themselves cornered. I trust you will save Ekko. Please hurry."

And just like that, the phone fell silent.


	19. The Longest Night - Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys! I was trying to make this chapter extra long, but it was taking way too much time and I think I've made you wait enough. So here is Part 1.  
> I hope you enjoy :)  
> And please leave your amazing comments ❤️

In the darkness, the cellphone rested silent in Jhin's hand.

It had been done.

The man quickly looked out the window and checked his surroundings. The nearby parked cars were shrouded in darkness. The street was deserted. Everything seemed quiet.

He had been very careful not to get followed, yet there was this feeling inside him that someone was watching.

And his feelings were rarely if ever wrong...

He looked back at his phone. He wasn't sure if the police had completely believed him. A call like that had been his only way of contacting them safely, but they probably had found it suspicious. However, due to the lack of clues, he believed they would at least take a chance. Hopefully very soon, the officers would come to rescue the boy and arrest Viktor. Then, both of them would be safe. How he yearned for that...

A mental image of the kid crossed his mind and his heart felt tight. He had left him right after that horrible panic attack that made him faint. The child's mind was so unstable, he wasn't sure what he would do once he woke up. He hoped from the bottom of his heart that he wouldn't do anything crazy...

But hoping wasn't enough. He was dying to go check on him.

The ignition started, the engine roared and the tires rolled on the pavement as Jhin stirred the wheel.

But suddenly, something caught his eye.

For less than a second, an ominous shadow had moved inside a far-away car.

\-----

"Ok, Akali. This is crazy." The girl thought to herself as she observed the police station in the distance. Even at that late hour in the night, many people were still around the vicinity. Old and young passed by in cars or on foot, talking amongst themselves, laughing and commenting on things. The street was very well-lit. Tall metal lamps shone their light on the pavement and on the passersby, from both sides of the road. Very few corners around the Police Station were left in the darkness. 

For someone on a stealth mission, the odds really weren't in her favor.

Akali anxiously gripped the strap of her backpack as she revised the plan in her head. "Step 1: Find a way in without anyone noticing. Step 2: Try to find any kind of information they have on Ekko's case. Step 3: Get out without drawing attention to yourself."

Breaking into a Police Station and stealing classified information... Only a mad person would have come up with an idea like that. If she were caught, she would end up in court. Probably prison. A never-ending string of problems would come her way. 

Was she in her right mind? Was this big risk she was taking, worth it?

Her heart began beating like a drum and her eyes shone with determination. She was doing this for her friend.

She couldn't back down.

In one swift motion, Akali switched off the motorcycle engine and took off her helmet. After hopping off the vehicle, she began making her way to the establishment. She kept her eyes on the people that went up and down the street and tried to act normal.

"I'm just a girl taking a stroll. Nothing to see here." She thought to herself when a man's gaze crossed with hers. Her breathing was uneven and her nails dug into the palm of her clenched fist. But the man didn't pay mind to her. He stayed on course and so did she.

Once she was safely enveloped by the shadows and the other people were a safe distance away, Akali didn't waste time. She sprinted in the direction of the Police Department, stopping only when she reached the back of the building. Her eyes darted around as she leaned her back against the brick wall.

It seemed like no one had seen her. Good. She took off her backpack and set it on the ground. This area, in stark contrast to the nearby street was submerged in darkness and she retrieved her phone so she could use the flashlight to see. Carefully, the girl looked around for the entrance to the air ducts. She cringed internally at how cliché her plan was. But she couldn't think of any other way to safely infiltrate the building. And desperate times require desperate measures.

Always on the lookout for unwanted company, Akali thoroughly searched the back of the Police Station until she found what she was looking for. She reached inside her backpack once more and retrieved gloves and a small wrench. The task that followed, of removing the bolts that attached the vent, was tiring and tedious. The rubber gloves on her hands felt weird. She had to put in some muscle work without making too much noise and while keeping on the lookout for anyone who could happen to walk by.

But fortunately, everything around her remained quiet.

Akali's arm was beginning to hurt when she finished removing the last bolt. With a few beads of sweat running down her forehead, she put the wrench away and quietly removed the air vent. Her phone's flashlight illuminated the inside of the duct. It was just big enough for her to fit through, which meant she couldn't bring her backpack along. She opted for just picking up her phone that would be needed to light the way and for photographing any evidence the police could potentially have. And she also kept the gloves on her hands so she wouldn't leave fingerprints all over the place.

Akali was a bit nervous about leaving so much incriminating evidence behind. She should have planned everything much more carefully. And there was also the danger of coming face to face with a cop while inside. But as she stared into the darkness of the air duct, she clenched her fist.

There was no going back.

\-----

Covered by the darkness inside of his car, Zed watched his nemesis' vehicle leave its parking spot. The screen of the device in his hand was gleaming faintly, illuminating the cocky grin he had on his face.

Who knew tapping Jhin's phone would be this easy?

Viktor would lose his mind once he got to hear the recording. He had told his comrades about Jhin's strange behavior time and time again, but no one had believed him. And now that masked freak had betrayed them. So much for ignoring his warnings...

He checked the screen and smiled once more. The file was almost uploaded. After that, all he would need to do was send it. And Jhin would be finished.

Suddenly, there were three light knocks on the window.

Startled, Zed raised his eyes.

And he froze.

Through the glass, a gun was being pointed right at his face. Behind it, was no one other than Jhin.

"Hello Zed." The haunting sound of the cocking of the gun echoed in the assassin's ears. "It's a beautiful night to die."

The assassin's heart almost stopped. Cold sweat began dropping down his forehead. Everything was moving in slow motion as Jhin placed his finger on the trigger.

But something happened.

His phone began ringing out of nowhere. Someone was calling him. Jhin switched his attention to it for just a second and lost his concentration. That was all he needed.

Quick as the wind, the assassin grabbed the door handle and slammed it open, hitting Jhin on the chest. The shot missed and hit the car door. The gun flew into the air and landed a few meters away. Zed threw himself at the masked man and grabbed his neck. Jhin grabbed his opponent's wrists. Even in such a stressful situation, the man still managed to keep his cool.

"I admit I underestimated you. I never believed you had enough brain cells to know how to tap a phone. My bad." He said with difficulty. 

Zed clenched his teeth. He still had the audacity to insult him, even when fighting for his life?

Filled with rage, the assassin let go of Jhin's neck with one of his hands and after picking up one of his blades, tried slashing him in the face. But his foe managed to kick him in the gut, successfully stopping him mid-swing.

Recovering quickly from the blow, Zed decided to try something different. Noticing that his enemy's balance was being upset as they fought for control, he quickly swung his leg across Jhin's ankles, making him fall backwards. Picking up another blade, the assassin lunged over his knocked down opponent like a blood-hungry killer.

Jhin's eyes widened behind his mask as he saw Zed falling over him with two blades pointing at his chest and face. He had no other choice but to grab Zed's wrists to keep himself from being stabbed. But the blades kept inching closer to his skin. As much as he hated to admit it, that idiot assassin was stronger than him.

In an attempt to turn the situation around, Jhin gathered all his strength and gave him a hard shove, making him fall to the side. Now he had a chance. He dove for the gun which was a few meters away and stretched his arm to try and reach it.

But that was when a large blade descended down and pierced through his skin. The man let out a howl of pain. Zed had stabbed him on the shoulder. As quickly as it sank in, the knife was pulled out, warranting another grunt of pain from him.

The gun was kicked away.

"You should have had a go at the kid while you still had the chance instead of protecting him." Said Zed. He forced his foe to turn around so he was facing up. There was a loud hit as he proceeded to punch him violently in the face. Droplets of blood began painting the ground, dripping down from behind the mask signaling that his nose had been broken.

Weakened, disoriented and in pain, Jhin could only watch as Zed climbed on top of him and pinned him down with his weight alone. The bloodied knife shone in his hand.

"You should have seen it, Jhin." He whispered in his ear with a devious smile. "How scared the kid was whenever I raped him. That tight ass, the soft skin, how he pleaded for me to let him go, the tears streaming down his face. It was so delicious... Try to picture that in your head. It's the last thing that you'll..."

He stopped abruptly.

He felt an acute pain on his chest. With a loud grunt, Zed looked downwards.

A large knife was piercing through his heart.

He didn't have the strength to look at Jhin's face again, but he could see his enemy's look of triumph even in his mind's eye. 

The assassin made a guttural sound before toppling over. 

Just like that, Zed was no more.

"You should have seen the kid smiling at least once, you bastard." Jhin muttered under his breath.

Weakened and hurt, the masked man dropped the blade and pushed the dead body off of him before proceeding to get up. He tenderly touched his shoulder and winced. The cut was deep and the blood was pouring out, running down his arm. At the same time, blood was also running down his face, dripping from his broken nose. To give himself some strength, he thought of Ekko and of all the suffering he had been through.

"The poor child endured pain infinitely worse than this. This is nothing. Put yourself together, Jhin". 

As he made his way to Zed's car, he looked down at the lifeless body at his feet.

"What a fool. You should have known I always have a backup plan. I think of every possibility... I saw all of this unfold in my head and more the moment I spotted you inside your car..."

The phone was on the driver's seat. Zed had dropped it in a hurry to throw himself at him. Jhin picked it up and checked the screen. There it was. The recording of him talking to the police. He simply pressed the button to erase it and just like that, the only chance of Viktor ever knowing the police was coming for him, was gone.

Jhin sighed. He turned around and looked down at Zed's lifeless body once more. There was blood and large blades on the pavement, the phone in his hand.

He had to find a way to get rid of this evidence and do it fast. There was this sinking feeling in his stomach that he would be needed back at the house in the woods...

\-----

The inside of the air ducts was dirty, claustrophobic and completely dark. Akali kept on crawling forward with the lantern of her phone as her only guide. She tried her best not to make a sound. Her legs and arms were hurting. Actually, her entire body was sore. 

"This is so difficult. Not at all like in the movies." She thought to herself. It wasn't like she hadn't expected it to be. She was just frustrated and tired and this was taking longer than she had antecipated.

Suddenly she heard voices.

"Crap." She whispered. The Police Station had looked empty. She had hoped for the small chance she would find nobody inside. But her hopes had just been dashed.

However, her eyes widened when she clearly heard one word being pronounced.

Ekko.

Forgetting about the pain on her arms and legs, Akali rushed to the end of the air duct and turned to the left, where the voices were coming from. She saw light at the end of the tunnel, shining through a vent and she hurried to get to it.

Now looking through the openings in the vent, she saw a big office with a desk, computers and bookshelves with countless folders all around. Inside it, were three police officers and she quickly recognized them. Chief Caitlyn, that tall woman that had accompanied her to the mansion and Jayce, the man she had accused of the kidnapping but had been proven innocent. They all had very serious and inquisitive expressions on their faces. The pink haired woman was on the phone and the other two were talking to one another.

"Yes. It's an emergency, please hurry. Caitlyn will send you the coordinates, just in case." Akali could tell the woman was requesting backup.

"How do we know this isn't a trap?" Said Jayce. "Viktor is cunning. It may be that he plotted all this just to get us killed and already moved Ekko somewhere else." 

Viktor? Was that the man who had kidnapped her friend?

Sitting at the desk, Caitlyn was typing on the computer, apparently sending information to the other agents. "We have no other leads. The kidnapping was too clean... It's incredibly suspicious, but we need to try our luck."

Jayce crossed his arms. "It's just such a remote location. If it ends up being a trap, we'll be isolated and will have nowhere to run. Who knows what we'll find there?"

"I understand your worry. It's a shot in the dark. But we have to take a chance." Caitlyn kept defending her position.

Jayce still wasn't convinced and the frown on his face was pronounced. But he relented. "I suppose we will have to try. But we'll need to be careful. Viktor is smart and dangerous and never works alone."

Having finished her call, the other policewoman turned to her colleagues. "We have reinforcements on the way. Four, to be exact."

"Good." Said Caitlyn, typing a row of numbers that were appearing on the screen. "Let's just hope these coordinates are correct."

Coordinates?

Akali swiftly picked up her phone and zoomed in on the officer's computer. Once she had seemingly finished typing, the girl snapped a quick photo. She checked it to make sure it hadn't come out blurry and smiled once she realized the numbers were perfectly visible.

When she exited the camera app, her eyes saddened. There it was once again. The picture of her and Ekko that they had taken before everything had happened. How she longed to see that contagious smile again...

Akali gripped the phone in her hand and furrowed her eyebrows.

"Hang in there buddy. I'm coming for you." She whispered.

The officers down below put themselves in motion. The chief put on her trademark sunglasses.

"We don't have time to lose." She heard Caitlyn say as she headed for the door followed by the other two. "This may be our only chance to save Ekko and arrest Viktor."

\-----

The forest was huge and a little scary. The cold November wind was howling among the trees.

The moonlight and the headlight of the motorcycle were all Akali had to guide herself through the darkness of the night. The vegetation was thick and only further impaired her ability to see. She had chosen a route that was a bit different from the one the police were taking so they didn't notice her presence. This trail she was on, however, was quite irregular and bumpy and not ideal to drive on.

"I should have come the other way." The girl lamented. She was cold, tired and sore from crawling through the vent. The previous night, she had barely slept. The anxiety she felt had kept her heart racing and her mind boiling. The whole plan was insane. She didn't know what she was doing. She didn't know who she was going to encounter. She didn't know who these kidnappers were or what they could do.

What gave her all the strength she needed was the thought of finding Ekko after so long.

With a sigh, the girl looked down at her phone to check if she was getting any closer to the spot the GPS was indicating. She had already taken wrong turns because the forest was a labyrinth and everything looked the same and the app had failed twice due to the bad connection. 

But soon enough, her eyes widened as she spotted something of interest, far off in the distance.

Among the trees, there was an old wooden house which was suspiciously well-maintained for being in the middle of nowhere. It was still a bit rundown, but there were no broken windows, no animal nests, no vegetation growing wild. It was odd.

Akali's expression darkened.

Could this potentially be where... What was his name again...? Yeah, Viktor. Could that man be keeping Ekko there?

Scared of being heard, Akali hit the breaks and stopped the motorcycle under a tree. After taking off her helmet, she looked inside her backpack. The wrench that probably wouldn't be needed, the screwdriver, the rubber gloves and her weapons, the kama and the kunai were all inside.

The girl took a deep breath and grabbed her fighting tools before stealthily heading for the house.

The building was two stories high and now that she could inspect it from upclose, she noted the windows were so dirty they didn't allow anyone to peek inside.

Akali hid behind some thick bushes and placed her weapons on the ground beside her. She studied her surroundings while trying to decide what was the best course of action. There was no one in sight, but on the ground in front of the house, there were tire tracks. So there was definitely something going on in this place...

Akali jolted when a strong arm grabbed her from behind. The surprise made her let out a terrified scream that was muffled as a gloved hand covered her mouth.

Akali's thoughts were racing and her heart was pounding inside her chest. 

Who had captured her?

Could it be that Viktor the police was talking about...?

The shock had rendered her motionless, but she quickly recovered and began squirming in the stranger's grasp.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" She heard a man's voice say.

She couldn't free herself. She could tell the man was struggling to keep her in place, but he was still stronger than her so he came out on top. In desperation, she looked at her weapons on the ground. Why would she let go of them? What a stupid move.

A mental image of Ekko, backed up into a corner while trying to get away from shadowy individuals made a bolt of energy surge through her body. Her heart was beating like a drum. He was the reason she had come this far. It couldn't end like this. She had to find a way to get to her weapons.

She had to.


	20. The Longest Night - Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys! This chapter is nearly 10k words long. 😱 yeah... 10k XD it's insane. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!  
> I have to REALLY thank my friend who helped me write some parts and even wrote a few paragraphs himself because I suck at action scenes XD thanks, you're the best!  
> With that said, happy reading and please leave your amazing, wonderful comments that make my day! ❤️

Beads of cold sweat were running down Akali's forehead and her heart was racing inside her chest. Instead of saving Ekko, she could potentially end up a prisoner just like him. She couldn't let that happen.

Thinking quickly, the girl tangled her leg up around her captor's and then pushed him back with all the strength she could muster. But he was much taller than her and her attempt did little to upset his balance. Instead of freeing herself, she only felt his strong hands tighten their grip around her arms and mouth.

Beginning to fear for her life, Akali tensed against the man's chest. He must have noticed she was scared because he got his mouth close to her ear and whispered. "You're in a dangerous place, girl. Please answer my questions quietly. Who are you and why are you here? I will remove my hand from your mouth now. Please don't make any sudden movements or sounds. I mean you no harm."

With her lips finally free, Akali let out a soft breath of relief before replying. "I'm A-Akali... I'm here to save my friend."

She felt the man tense up. "I'll let you go now. No sudden movements. Please turn around, child."

Seeing herself free at last, the girl looked at her weapons on the ground. Diving after them was so tempting. But she didn't know if he had a gun or not so it was best to play it safe. She slowly turned around and finally took a good look at her attacker.

The thing anyone would notice immediately was that the man's face was covered by an odd looking white mask and there was dried blood near its bottom. He was skinny and very tall, but was hunched over and seemed weakened. His left hand was touching the opposite shoulder that was very visibly injured and his right sleeve was covered in blood that was pouring from the wound. Astonished, the girl actually wondered how he had managed to keep such a strong hold on her, while being this hurt.

"So you're Akali. Ekko told me about you..."

When her friend's name was mentioned, her face contorted with anger. "So you kidnapped him!"

The man shook his head. "A man named Viktor kidnapped the boy. I'm a spy, so to speak, working from the inside to help your friend escape this place. I only want Ekko to be safe, just like you."

He slowly reached for his holster and took out his gun. Akali's eyes widened and she took a step back. But she didn't need to have feared. The man simply dropped it on the ground and kicked it away. "See? I'm not going to hurt you. We're on the same side. We both want to help Ekko."

Akali hesitated. But he seemed to be genuinely trying to gain her trust. However what he said next, wiped all her doubts away.

"I was the one who called the police. They should be here soon."

Akali jolted. He knew they were coming? There was no way this man could know about the police unless he was telling the truth...

The girl felt herself relax and so did the stranger, because he approached her.

Her eyebrows furrowed as she examined him from top to bottom. "Who are you?"

"You can call me Jhin." He was also studying her carefully. "How did you even find this place?"

Akali frowned. "I kinda spied on the police... I know it's crazy, but I was tired of doing nothing. Ekko is my best friend. I just want him to come back home..."

Jhin's eyes narrowed. "The men who captured your friend are very dangerous. And you're still putting yourself at risk for him..."

"I knew what I was getting myself into." She said, clenching her right hand into a fist. "But I didn't hesitate. Ekko is too important."

Even through the mask, Jhin couldn't hide the admiration he had for the girl right now. And Ekko thought she had abandoned him. He could still see him in his mind's eye, crying his heart out, saying Akali had never truly cared about him. The boy had no idea...

"You're a brave one, Akali." He said. "Perhaps you could..."

But his sentence was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps.

They both dove into the bushes to avoid being spotted and looked around. Caitlyn and the police squad were stealthily approaching through the darkness.

"Viktor will know that they're here soon enough." He said when the group of police officers was a safe distance away. "He has an escape plan in case a stranger wanders too close. If he pulls it off successfully, your friend will be out of the cops' reach once again."

Akali frowned. "We have to stop him then. We can cut him off, right?"

"We?" Jhin's eyes widened.

"Yes, I'm coming with you." Her eyes were shining with determination. "No way I'm just going to stand here, watching, while he runs away with Ekko."

"You're going to... You can't..." Jhin sighed and shook his head. He didn't have time to argue. "Fine. But do as I say and don't be reckless. They won't hesitate to kill you. Follow me."

Akali nodded and hurried to grab her weapons before going after Jhin.

\-----

"You only want to see me suffering even more, don't you? You're a liar! Stop pretending like you care! I HATE YOU!" His own words echoed inside his mind. Again and again. Sitting in a corner of the room, shaking uncontrollably, the boy was close to tears.

When he woke up he had been disoriented and all cold inside despite the warm blankets covering him. Completely lost, he had dressed himself up to make himself feel better. But it didn't work.

One regret was eating him up from the inside.

He couldn't believe he had said such awful things to Jhin. Someone who had risked his life daily to help him in any way he could. Someone who had treated his wounds and fed him when he was being starved. Someone who had saved him from his own desperate suicide attempt.

Part of his aggression towards the man had stemmed from the trauma of the moment the rope had tightened around his neck. It had been so horrible, the fear had been overwhelming. At the very last second of consciousness he had actually regretted his decision, but it was already too late. And then, Jhin had given him another chance at life, saved him heroically without hesitation.

And how had he thanked him? By yelling at him and telling him that all his efforts had been meaningless.

The man must have been so hurt. It wouldn't surprise him if he decided to abandon him and never come back. But that thought stroke a chord inside him. If that were true, he had lost everything. His family, his supposed friends and now even Jhin. Tears broke down from his eyes and he buried his face in his arms. His heart was in pieces. He felt so alone...

He had broken down completely in front of the man. He had been hurting so much in that moment. But it was no excuse for treating him so poorly. He was so stupid, so ungrateful. He truly deserved to suffer in this filthy hole until the day he died.

Ekko was brought back to reality by the loud sound of approaching footsteps in the hallway. He raised his head and his red and puffy eyes widened.

The door of his room was slammed open with a loud bang and Viktor came in with a terrifying look of anger on his face. Like a mad man, he rushed over to the corner where he was. Ekko immediately froze and braced himself, thinking that he had barged in to beat the living daylights out of him.

Twisted Fate and Graves came in right after. In stark contrast with their leader, they were both incredibly calm.

"How much time do we have?" Graves asked.

Viktor looked down at Ekko, who was folded in on himself and trembling like a leaf.

"Not much." Viktor said in a cold, dark tone. He quickly checked his phone. The alarm had gone off, not too long ago, signaling they had uninvited guests. "The intruders activated the laser trip wire on the dirt road. So they're very close..."

Impatient, he reached for the boy's hair and pulled him up violently. "On your feet!" The teen yelped in pain but obeyed.

"We put the plan in motion? " Graves was waiting for orders.

"Of course, you idiot. What a useless question." He complained while tying Ekko's wrists behind his back. "Stay still."

The boy's breathing was ragged and his body was tense. Why was Viktor so angry? Who was getting close? What was going on? His mind and heart were racing.

"Are you really going to bring the boy?" Twisted Fate seemed annoyed. "We talked about this. You can just find another fuck toy, Vik."

Viktor scowled. "I went through too much trouble to capture him and keep him. I'm not just leaving him here." He finished tying the teen up, grabbed his arm and began dragging him along. "Move, kid."

With no other choice, scared and in pain, Ekko simply obeyed the man. Graves and TF followed close behind.

\-----

"Don't make a sound." Caitlyn whispered to her colleagues.

Her and Jayce were on each side of the entrance door. Vi was on the lookout for unwanted company a few meters away. She was holding her gun with determination and her eyes were meticulously examining the perimeter. If some criminal tried attacking them from behind, they would have to kill her first before even having a chance to look at Caitlyn. Two of the officers had been sent to guard the back of the house, one was on the lookout like Vi and the last one was following Caitlyn closely.

"The door will have to go down." Jayce whispered to his boss. She nodded to show she had understood and signaled him to proceed. The man quickly checked his surroundings and began loading a small charge of explosives onto the doorknob.

"Stay back!" He demanded, while backing up. But his colleagues had already created distance.

Only a few seconds had passed when a small, yet powerful explosion tore the door off the hinges. Jayce ran up to it and kicked it, causing it to fall on the ground with a bang. Having completed his task, the man stepped aside and let his boss take over.

"Police!" Caitlyn shouted, placing herself in front of the entrance with her gun raised. She couldn't see anyone or hear anything suspicious in the hallway in front of her, but it was dangerous to let her guard down. She felt the presences of Vi, Jayce and another agent advancing rapidly to back her up. Without wasting time, the squad stepped inside.

The old wooden floor was run down and creaked beneath her feet, dust was spiraling around. Their flashlights were their only guides in the darkness. The ominous hallway in front of her had doors on each side and all of them were closed. A rickety staircase lead to the upper floor. Caitlyn frowned with determination and looking at her colleagues, she gave her orders.

"Jayce, check this floor with him. Vi, come with me."

She climbed the first couple of steps and the other officer quickly followed. Always on the lookout for a surprise attack, the chief held her gun steadily in one hand and her flashlight in the other, while Vi checked their backs.

When she got to the first door, Caitlyn signaled her friend to check the next room. She opened the door and raised her gun in self defense. But there was no one inside. The woman gripped her flashlight and took a look around.

She walked up to every corner, examined a stack of really old chairs in one of them, peeked into each small crevice, observed the windows and the ceiling attentively. The powerful white light then revealed a double bed in the center of the room. The air reeked of blood and sweat.

"Oh no..." Her heart began beating fast. "Vi!? I found something." She called out to her friend.

The pink haired officer immediately showed up. While she headed towards a door on the opposite end of the room, Caitlyn began walking in the direction of the bed. The sheets were a mess, soiled with blood and another white sticky substance.

"Sperm... The kid was raped here. Who knows how many times?" She said with a tightness in her chest.

But where was he now?

"It's just a bathroom, nothing to report." Said Vi. She got closer to the bed and quickly got on her knees to check under it. "Nothing here." She then got up and her eyes narrowed as her flashlight illuminated the very obvious evidence of a violent sexual assault. "Hell... The poor kid." And her eyes found Caitlyn's, who gave her a sad look.

The chief and her partner investigated the rest of the upper floor thoroughly. Every room, every door, every corner, not even a centimeter of the place was left unchecked. But there was no one to be found.

"He probably knew we were coming and made a run for it." Vi commented.

"And he took Ekko with him." Caitlyn concluded. She had hoped Viktor would leave the boy behind in fear of him slowing him down and thwarting his plans of escape. But he seemed hell-bent on keeping him in his clutches.

Suddenly, a man's voice was heard from the ground floor. "It's clear down here. We found nothing."

"We didn't have much luck either. We found evidence that Viktor was keeping the boy here and raping him. But nothing else." Said Vi. She looked over at Caitlyn and felt pity. The disappointment in her friend's heart was very evident in her eyes. They had arrived too late and the boy would pay for it.

But then...

"Caitlyn!" They heard the officer again. "Jayce found something!"

Their eyes widened and they practically flew down the stairs. The man was standing next to the entrance to the living room and was signaling them to hurry. "In here!"

Upon stepping inside the room, the two women's eyes lay upon Jayce who was crouched down, trying to open a metal hatch on the floor.

"It's too heavy. Vi, help me." He said. And she didn't need to be told twice. The woman leaped to his side and began pulling the sturdy metal hatch up. With their strength combined, it was open in no time.

The opening on the floor was as dark as night. They could see absolutely nothing. Caitlyn quickly aimed her flashlight and the brilliant light illuminated the hole, revealing something none of them were expecting to find.

"An underground tunnel..." Said Vi. And her eyes widened with the surprise.

\-----

"Keep moving, kid. And I'm warning you, not a sound." Viktor spat menacingly as he dragged the boy. Terrified, Ekko was trying his best to obey, but he was having trouble moving.

He was in horrible pain. His lower half and his belly were hurting like they were on fire and he hadn't walked this much in a very long time. He was finding it hard to breathe. As much as he didn't want to, he had to stop sometimes, leading the men to give him hard shoves and having to pull him along.

The tunnel felt like it had no end. It was so dark. Only the flashlights allowed him to see. The expressions on the men's faces were menacing as they advanced forward.

In the distance, a light began shining at the end of the tunnel.

"We're almost there." Said Graves. They accelerated their pace to cover the last couple of meters quickly.

Ekko's chest was empty. His friends were a bunch of liars. He would never see his parents again. Jhin had abandoned him. These monsters would just keep on using and abusing him until he no longer served them. He had no tears left to cry.

They were about to reach the exit. They could already see the moon and the stars shining in the night sky. But suddenly, a tall figure appeared just outside the tunnel.

"Viktor?" Jhin called out. "Is the police chasing you?"

His sudden presence made Ekko's eyes widen. The man was injured and covered in blood. What had happened to him? Why had he left him alone? Where had he disappeared to? He had so many questions. But in that moment, there was one that stood out from all the others: Jhin hadn't returned to him, but had returned to Viktor. He was on their side now?

"No. We got to the tunnel before they entered the house." The man explained. "Where the fuck have you been?" He clearly didn't care that Jhin was very visibly injured.

"Zed was a traitor. He warned the police. But I fought him and killed him." He said, touching his ugly stab wound.

Viktor's face contorted with anger. "That motherfucker..."

Graves and Twisted Fate held undignified expressions.

"So "Mr. I don't trust anyone" turned out to be a traitor. Tch..." TF commented, touching the brim of his hat.

Jhin made a motion with his hand. "Come on, we have to hurry."

Ekko's heart would have crumbled with the man's betrayal if it weren't already broken in pieces. But he just didn't have the capacity to care anymore. Everything inside him was numb.

\-----

She had been waiting for a while now.

Akali was antsy, dying to leap into action. Impatient, she fiddled with her weapons in her hands. The moment those scumbags showed up, she would teach them the definition of pain.

And soon enough, she heard approaching footsteps.

Just like according to plan, there was Jhin, and behind him, were three men. Being forced to move forward by one of them...

Was Ekko.

For a second, her chest felt warm, her heart began racing, her eyes watered.

It was him.

Her friend was there. In front of her.

She almost couldn't believe it was true.

It had been so long...

But her insides grew cold once she noticed his face was contorted in pain. He looked injured and exhausted. One of his captors lost his patience and shoved the boy, almost causing him to fall to the ground.

A fire ignited in Akali's heart. Her teeth clenched as a dark, powerful wrath grew inside her chest. Her eyes were that of a panther, hiding in the shadows, ready to strike. She violently gripped her kama in her hand as she waited for the right moment.

"They left their cars nearby." She could hear Jhin's instructions clearly in her mind. "When we reach Viktor's car, that's the moment to strike. Be patient and don't blow your cover."

"Relax, I can do this." She had guaranteed with a very serious expression on her face.

And now, here she was, waiting in the darkness. The group quickly passed her by and when they were a safe distance away, she began following them.

They soon got to an area enclosed by thick vegetation. Almost camouflaged by the leaves of the bushes and the surrounding darkness, Viktor's car wouldn't be easy to find if one didn't know what to look for. Even if the chances of someone passing by that remote area were low, he never took chances.

"We've got to get to the plane. Once we leave the country, we'll be fine." Said Viktor. He turned to Graves and Twisted Fate. "Take different routes. If we split up, we'll be harder to catch. Jhin, you and the kid come with me."

The other two men nodded and each went in the opposite direction. The leaves on the bushes rustled as they disappeared in the darkness of the night.

Maintaining a strong grip on Ekko, the devil dragged the boy to one of the back doors of the car. He quickly opened it and then forced him inside. "Get in!" He demanded as he clutched Ekko's dirty dreadlocks and pushed him down.

As the teen landed on the backseat, he brought his knees to his chest and curled up, trying to find a comfortable position. When he did, he leaned against the soft backrest and stood completely still, as the pain became more bearable. He jolted as the door was slammed shut behind him.

Without saying a word, Jhin turned around and headed for the door of the passenger's seat. He grabbed the handle but hesitated instead of pulling it right away. Suddenly, something felt wrong. Viktor had been in such a hurry, up until now. Why had he stopped in his tracks after shoving the child into the back of the car, instead of running to the driver's seat?

There was a clicking sound behind him. Almost instinctively, the masked man spun around to face his foe.

From inside the vehicle, Ekko's eyes widened as he observed Viktor's gun being held dangerously close to Jhin's forehead.

"You must think I'm stupid, Jhin." Said Viktor with a triumphant smile. "Zed was always suspicious of you. I dismissed it because you were always more competent than he was. But I suppose I put my trust in the wrong person."

Jhin's eyes sent a hateful glare towards him.

"So what were you planning to do? Kill me? And take the kid with you?" He laughed. "You're pathetic."

"Release him, Viktor." Jhin coldly demanded.

"Giving orders now? I'm the one with the gun." The monster chuckled darky as he gripped his pistol tighter. "Now tell me the truth... Did you ever have a go at the kid?"

"I'm not a monster like you." Jhin grit his teeth behind the mask.

"I see." A sneer was plastered across Viktor's face. "But I tell you, when they begin crying, that's when it gets exciting..."

Jhin was reminded of Zed's words right before he was killed. These animals all found pleasure and excitement in forcing a literal child to have sex with them. And Viktor was taunting him with it. A nauseating feeling invaded his stomach. His fingers began twitching with the rage he felt building up inside. These people didn't deserve to walk upon the Earth. They were pure evil. Sick, disgusting, twisted demons.

His hand clenched into a fist. His eyes studied the surrounding vegetation. That girl, Akali, was his only chance to turn this situation around.

Where was she? He had told her to follow them in case something went wrong...

And then everything happened insanely fast.

A small sharp object came flying from a nearby bush and stuck into Viktor's arm. The man let out a cry of pain and his finger instinctively squeezed the trigger of the gun.

Jhin didn't hesitate. The moment the kunai's glint hit his eye he raised a powerful palm towards Viktor's wrist to move the gun out of his way. The bullet recklessly flew from the barrel and struck the glass window of the car, shards spraying over Ekko's crippled body as he cowered from the loud sound.

Seizing the moment, Jhin immediately grabbed Viktor's wrist and fought to disarm him. Even with a blade sticking out of his arm, the monster would not relent. Jhin's movements were slightly janky and weak because of his injured shoulder but he still gave it all. What was important was not letting the girl get shot.

Ekko, hearing the sounds of a scuffle, slowly sat up, and with a confused gaze watched the fight break out in front of him. What he saw next truly shocked him.

Like a lioness, Akali jumped out of the bushes. Viktor's confusion was all she needed to gain the upper hand. With Jhin forcing their foe's gun arm away from the two of them, Akali quickly dropped on one knee and sliced clean through his calves with her kama. The man let out an agonising yelp and fell to the ground. Jhin quickly stamped on his hand and kicked the gun out of reach.

Akali spun Viktor onto his back and mounted his stomach. The use of his legs were severely limited but she didn't want him fighting back at all. With almost surgical precision she sliced through the shoulder blade and bicep of his right arm before mirroring the cuts on his left. His eyes were tearing up from the agony she was inflicting on his body. And there was fear. So much fear.

But that didn't stop her.

Grabbing his right wrist, she pulled his arm out in front of his face. As blood spurted out from his shoulder wounds, he bit his tongue to fight through the pain. Akali spun the kama back into her holster and pulled out a shuriken. Holding it tight in her fingers like a short knife, she ran it over his hand in fury. The knife reached the tip of a fingernail. She pierced it down to the cuticle and flicked the nail from his finger. Viktor couldn't hold it back anymore and let out a scream.

Hearing a sound of pain almost awoke some emotion in Akali, but she did not relent. Taking the shuriken back to the tip of his finger, very slowly and carefully, she cut vertically down the whole length, leaving the skin peeling off. Viktor released a blood-curdling scream, the likes of which he'd only heard from his victims himself.

The man's agony brought a smile of satisfaction to Akali's lips. He should have thought twice before messing with Ekko.

The girl threw Viktor's wrist to the ground, stabbed the shuriken clean through his palm and impaled it into the ground. Blood oozed from the fresh hole in his hand and his eyes rolled back into his head.

He was starting to realize what pain truly was.

Akali frowned and slapped his face harshly. She wanted him awake and aware so he would keep suffering. Then, she turned her attention to his stomach.

Moving her knee out of the way and retaking the kama from its holster, she aimed for his kidney. The kama swung down violently and pierced through the soft fat skin of his stomach, angled towards the bottom of his ribcage. She knew she'd hit her mark when Viktor squealed like a stuck pig and writhed around underneath her in agony. She quickly yanked the blade back out, causing a pool of blood to quickly soak the ground beneath them. The girl grit her teeth as she struck the wound with her knee.

Viktor's eyes fully rolled back into his head and his body went limp. There was certainly not enough blood to kill him, but she was almost upset that he had passed out so quickly.

She wasn't done yet.

Blinded with rage, the girl began swinging at the disgusting kidnapper underneath her. Deep, horrifying lacerations began appearing all over the man's body.

On his shoulder, on his chest, on his thighs, on his knees, on his arms and wrists. His clothes were slowly turning into tatters, exposing his bloodied, wounded skin. Jhin simply stayed back and watched with interest and shock. Akali was a dangerous beast with a weapon in hand. He would hate to be in Viktor's place right now.

Inside the car, Ekko's eyes were wide open in disbelief.

Akali...

It couldn't be...

She was really here?

She had come for him?

But why...?

His numb heart was feeling warmer by the second. The ice inside him began to melt.

Could it be that he had been wrong?

She... She actually cared?

Of... Of course she cared. But...

He had lost faith in her...

As quickly as it appeared, the warmth vanished. His heart began beating wildly. It was as if someone had punctured a hole through his chest. Shame burned deep inside like a hot ember. It was unbearable.

How could he have doubted her...?

This was his Akali. The same girl who had stuck with him through thick and thin for most of his life.

And now she was here, at his worst moment. Protecting him from the man who had destroyed him.

She was ever loyal. Ever caring.

His eyes watered. Tears rolled down his cheeks.

He was so stupid.

So unbelievably stupid for believing she had betrayed him...

Viktor was now lying on the ground, unconscious and bleeding profusely. Akali had gotten up and was towering over him, her eyes burning with a wild rage as she held the bloodied kama in her hand.

This man...

No.

This monster.

He had taken Ekko away by force. He had stolen him from them. From her. And he had hurt him. She didn't know how. But Ekko was in really bad shape when she had seen him earlier...

There was no forgiveness for what this animal had done...

A pure, dark hatred grew inside her chest and took over her body. Once it reached her fingertips, she raised the kama above her head and pointed it downwards. She threw her arms down in a swinging motion, aiming at Viktor's chest. But just as the blade was about to find the monster's flesh, a pair of hands grabbed her wrists, stopping her mid-swing.

Surprised, she raised her head to glare at Jhin. "What the hell are you doing?" She barked at him.

The man's eyes were staring right into hers. "This is not a decision you should make lightly, child. The weight of this burden will haunt you for the rest of your life."

"What?" Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"If you weren't here, Viktor would meet his end at my own hands. But if you do it, you'll pay for it with your freedom."

Akali's teeth clenched with fury. "I don't give a damn about ending up in jail! He hurt Ekko. He deserves to die!"

"He does deserve the ultimate punishment. But you shouldn't be the one to give him what he deserves, for you'll end up in ruin." Jhin insisted.

The girl's face began reddening with anger. "Why didn't you kill him, then? Why did you only go to the police now? Ekko has been missing for more than a month! You had all this time to report his location. You just chose not to!"

"Listen child, there's more to my decision than meets the eye..." Said Jhin.

"Excuses." Spat Akali, glaring him down. She jerked her body backwards and successfully freed herself from his grip. "Let go of me!"

Jhin took a step forward, trying to reason with her. "Akali, please! Think of your friend. Ekko is going to need you, now more than ever. You can't be there for him if you end up behind bars..."

The girl's eyes widened a bit and she took a step back. She was sure Qiyana, Yasuo and Senna would take good care of him in her absence. And Ahri, Evelynn and Kai'sa would do what they could to help. But it was true that none of them was as close to him as she was. Except for his parents.

He was like a little brother she had always looked after. It certainly didn't feel right to not be there for him in his darkest hour.

The rage that she felt burning inside began cooling down. She looked over at Ekko inside the car and back at the unconscious monster on the ground. Her heart started beating faster. For a second she hesitated. The grip on the blade faltered.

It was true.

Ekko was her friend. He needed her. He was the priority.

Akali slowly lowered her weapon and nodded. Jhin's eyes glinted with satisfaction and he reached into Viktor's pocket to retrieve the car keys.

They both approached the door and Jhin carefully inserted the key to unlock it. Inside, Ekko simply stayed still as the door opened in front of him. The broken shards of glass from the window that had shattered earlier, glinted in the moonlight.

Akali kneeled down to be at eye-level with her friend. Her eyes sparkled with happiness as she looked at him. A smile drew itself on her lips and it was as if her chest would burst at any second with how fast her heart was beating.

"Hey there, buddy." She said sweetly. She looked him in the eyes, expecting some sort of reaction from him. Good. Bad. Happy. Angry. Confused. Anything. Anything at all.

But it never came.

Her smile turned upside down.

He was looking at her. But he wasn't.

His eyes were vacant, staring into the void of nothingness. She could see tear streaks on his face and some droplets on his eyelashes. He had been crying.

The girl felt a lump in her throat. "Ekko..." She whispered in shock and disbelief.

She had imagined how their reunion would play out. It had been somewhat immature of her to think Ekko would be overflowing with joy to see her, just like she was to see him. That he would give her one of his sweet smiles. He had been kidnapped and imprisoned by a lunatic for a long time. He would certainly be scarred from it. She shouldn't have expected him to be open to big manifestations of affection.

But she had expected at least a sad smile in her direction. Him whispering her name. His eyes locking onto hers in disbelief. A simple nod of acknowledgement. Anything but this dead, empty stare. As if his soul had been ripped from his body.

Akali felt a freezing cold at the pit of her stomach. Something was horribly wrong with her friend.

At a loss of what to do, the girl raised her hand and reached for the boy's face with the intent of wiping away a single tear that was falling down.

It was a big mistake.

Ekko suddenly acknowledged her presence, but in the worst way possible. His eyes widened in terror and his entire body jolted as if he were about to get stabbed. He backed up against the seat in sheer panic, desperate to keep away from her touch.

Startled by her friend's reaction, Akali stopped dead in her tracks. Her hand became paralyzed in mid-air.

What... What was happening? Why was he so terrified? Was he afraid she would hurt him? Could he not recognize her? Was he hallucinating?

"Ekko... It's me, Akali." She tried calling out to him. "Are... Are you afraid of me? I'm here to help you. You're my best friend..."

But Ekko was tense like a stone statue. His eyes were filled with dread, as if in front of him was a snake about to bite him and not his closest friend. His whole body shivered uncontrollably and his breathing was irregular.

Concern and fear clawed strongly at Akali's insides. She couldn't move an inch.

Ekko looked like a small cornered animal, waiting to be killed. The scars of his imprisonment ran deep.

What kind of horrors had he been through...?

"Ekko... What happened to you?" She sounded as if she were about to cry.

At that moment, the girl felt a hand gently cover her wrist and push her arm down. Jhin, who had given her some space to reunite with her friend, was now intervening.

"It's ok, child. We're here to help you. Please, calm down." He turned to Akali and whispered. "Keep your distance and don't touch him."

Her eyes widened. Ekko... didn't want to be touched? That at least explained his weird reaction.

But why...?

"Come out, child. Let us untie you, we'll be careful." Jhin promised.

Trembling like a leaf, the boy eyed them both with uncertainty. But after being given some space, he began moving while paying mind to the shattered glass around him.

Once he got out of the car he very slowly turned away from Jhin to allow the man to untie the rope around his wrists. But he stretched his arms out so he could keep his distance from the man. Akali observed him attentively, sadness and concern oozing from her innermost being. His gaze was empty once again. For a single moment he gathered the courage to look her in the eyes. But he turned away immediately. As if he was ashamed or afraid of her judgment.

"There." Said Jhin once he finished removing the rope. He held it tightly in his hand and took a step back to allow the child some space.

Ekko simply leaned against the car and let himself slide down until he was sitting on the floor. He pulled his knees against his chest and didn't move again. Warm tears began falling down his face. He didn't even wipe them. Crying felt as natural as breathing at this point...

Feeling lost and deeply disturbed by her friend's strange behavior, Akali looked at Jhin with wide, tragic eyes.

She needed answers and she needed them now.

Jhin understood. He signaled her to follow him to an area a few meters away where Ekko couldn't hear them.

"Jhin... I... What... What did that monster do to him?" She stuttered. "Please be honest with me..."

The man sighed deeply. "This will be very hard for you to accept, child... I don't even know how to put it..."

Akali's heart accelerated. "Please, just tell me. Even if it hurts me. I need to know."

Jhin's frown deepened. "Viktor, that monster you just tortured... He's a pedophile. And a rapist. He and other men sexually abused and raped Ekko countless times. And they did the same to many boys before him..."

The girl's body turned to stone. Her heart that was previously beating so hard, almost stopped. The blood froze in her veins.

"N-no... That... That can't be." She began shaking her head in disbelief. "Not him. Not Ekko..."

Jhin lowered his eyes. "I'm sorry, Akali."

The poor girl covered her mouth with her hands in pure shock. "No..." She whispered as a great pain took over her chest, her eyes clenched shut.

Ekko...

Her Ekko...

An innocent boy. Who had done nothing but think of others around him. Who had done his best to help his family. Who had always been there for her and had been the best friend imaginable...

Had been wounded in the most horrifying, animalistic way possible.

His innocence, his dignity, his soul, his future... Had been ripped from him.

By a vile, sadistic monster...

Her eyes instinctively opened up and darted to the unconscious body of the man she had tortured. Her eyes watered as a dark, ferocious rage took over her mind once again.

That... That thing. It deserved death. It deserved to get lost in the deepest, darkest pit and to burn forever in the fires of hell.

Why had she listened to Jhin? She should have trespassed it with the blade. She wished, with a burning passion, to rip out its innards and watch it squirm and squeal like a dying pig until the life was completely drained from its eyes.

It's all it deserved. It's what they all deserved. To suffer. To suffer horribly. For all eternity. Without a second's rest.

But suddenly, there was the distinct sound of a group of people approaching through the moisty grass. Akali was brought back to reality and she turned around to check who it was. She saw multiple flashlights. It had to be the police.

"Jhin, w-what am I going to say to them?" She looked downwards at her dirty, bloodied clothes. Uncertain, she breathed in deeply. "Jhin?" She tried again when the answer never came. She turned to the side and realized with shock that the man wasn't there with her anymore. It was just like when he had snuck up behind her. He moved without making a sound, like a ghost. How could that be?

Akali sighed. She took a nervous look at Ekko, who was still folded in on himself, unmoving.

The group of police officers lead by Caitlyn eventually appeared amidst the bushes and trees.

"Police! Freeze!" Caitlyn shouted, raising her gun in front of her. Her colleagues immediately followed her lead, adopting a powerful stance. But to say they were shocked by the scene in front of them, would be an understatement.

The chief's eyes narrowed as they moved from the girl with bloodied clothes, to the apparently unconscious man on the ground, covered in deep wounds and the young boy sitting against the car.

"What is all this? What happened here?" The woman demanded to know. The rest of the officers behind her also looked around, completely lost.

Akali stepped forward with both arms raised to show she wasn't dangerous. "Officers, please. Let me explain."

It was Jayce's turn to speak. "Stay where you are. Hands behind your head and get on your knees."

The girl obeyed. Caitlyn pointed her flashlight at her and took a step back with the surprise upon recognizing who it was. "A-Akali?"

"Yes, it's me." She explained calmly. She looked at the man on the ground. "That's Viktor. I did this to him. I had to get him away from Ekko..."

The chief felt Jayce moving behind her as he stared incredulously at the bloody, mutilated body on the ground. This small girl... Had done this much damage?

It reminded Caitlyn that her colleagues were all waiting for her orders. They had all been rendered motionless with the shock. How embarrassing...

"Jayce, you and the other male officers handle Viktor. Keep your distance from the boy or he might panic." She turned to a female officer. "You and Vi check on the girl. See if she's hurt. I'll try to approach Ekko."

They all nodded and hurried to obey her.

Left with the most difficult task, Caitlyn breathed in deeply to gain courage and strength. The child was, without a doubt, deeply scarred from all the abuse. She had to be very careful with the actions she took and the words she chose. One mistake and he might suffer a full-blown panic attack. He had to be taken somewhere safe and if he became scared of them, it would really difficult things.

The woman approached slowly, her light steps cracking dried leaves beneath her feet. The boy, who had his face buried in his arms, raised it slightly to see who it was.

"Hello. You're Ekko, isn't it?" She asked, after kneeling down. She wanted to make herself appear smaller so she wouldn't seem as menacing.

The boy didn't answer. He just kept staring at her with those broken, golden eyes.

"I'm Caitlyn. I'm a police officer. And I'm here to help you." As he didn't react badly to her presence, she inched a little closer and gave him a warm smile. "That man can't hurt you anymore. You're safe now."

He remained motion and expressionless.

"Ekko, listen. Does it hurt anywhere? Are you in pain?"

And, at last, he gave her an answer. He nodded slowly, confirming her suspicions.

"We'll have to take you to the hospital, just to be safe. Don't worry, I promise we won't hurt you. Can you walk?"

He nodded once again.

"All right, that's good..."

"Caitlyn!?" Vi suddenly called her.

She immediately turned around. It sounded urgent. "What is it?"

Her friend was crouching down in front of Akali and judging by the expression on her face, she had just been told something alarming.

"There were two more men besides Viktor here earlier. They said something about a plane and leaving the country."

Beside her, Jayce had both arms crossed and was shaking his head. "Doesn't surprise me. After a certain point, Viktor never worked alone again. They must have gotten to some stolen plane in a secluded area if they wanted to take Ekko with them." Then, the man looked down at Akali. "What baffles me is how you were able to take down a beast like Viktor. Did you really do it alone?"

Akali nodded. "Yes. It was just me." Jhin had explicitly asked her not to mention his involvement to the police. But she wasn't exactly lying. The man had disarmed Viktor. She had done all the rest, including throwing him to the ground.

Jayce's mouth was agape. He had fought Viktor himself, all those years ago, when his face had gotten burnt. And he had struggled. This young girl with a petite figure had managed to not just fight a fully grown man on equal terms, but dominate him completely and mutilate his body.

What... What was this girl?

"Even still, we should try to find out those men's whereabouts." Said Caitlyn. She turned to two officers and once again spoke loud and clear. "You two, investigate the area. Look for footprints, tire tracks, anything. And then come report your findings to me. We'll handle things here."

"Yes, ma'am." The two men said, obeying the order without question.

Caitlyn looked back at Ekko, who was looking down at the ground. That blank stare, the way he was all curled up, bracing himself for comfort, almost brought tears to her eyes.

She hated cases that involved children. It was so unfair...

"It's going to be all right now. You'll see..." She tried consoling the boy. But even she didn't believe in her own words...

\-----

In the True Damage household, the fireplace in the living room had been lit up. The flames crackled rhythmically and served as background noise for the three occupants in the room.

Yasuo was sitting at the desk, in front of his computer, with headphones on. He was thoroughly checking one of his beats for any part that could warrant a change. Qiyana and Senna were sitting on the couch, holding pencils and sheets of paper, and were trying their best to come up with lyrics for the music. This was something that the girls should have started doing weeks ago. But with everything that had happened, they just hadn't been in the right mindset for it. Besides, Ekko was the best lyricist among them, and he usually did most of the work in that regard.

"I just can't think of a decent rhyme." Senna complained, gently tapping with the pencil on her chin.

Qiyana let herself fall against the backrest and tilted her head back in boredom. "Same." She said, looking at the ceiling.

"Ekko always does this so easily..." Senna commented with a hint of sadness in her voice.

They rarely spoke of him lately. It wasn't easy to do. It made everyone feel uncomfortable.

A bit taken aback, Qiyana frowned. Her expression was somewhere between worry and annoyance. "I wonder if Akali will find anything worthwhile. I just hope she doesn't get in trouble..." She thought to herself. She was getting increasingly nervous, not knowing of her friend's whereabouts. It was getting pretty late.

Suddenly, there was the distinct sound of the front door opening. Qiyana straightened herself and Senna lowered her pencil.

"Akali? Is that you?" Qiyana called out.

They focused their attention on the hallway to try and see who had come in. Even Yasuo took off his headphones and hung them on his neck as he stared at the open door. Seconds later, Ekko's parents emerged through the door frame. Their ever kind faces were shadowed by a deep sorrow, but they still made an effort to give them a sad smile.

"Good evening." Wyeth's greeting came out as little more than a whisper and Inna's eyes were filled with tears.

Qiyana's heart throbbed. She wanted to ask if something had happened, but the couple didn't stick around to chat. They simply went up the stairs.

With an emptiness inside her chest, the girl looked at her friends. Worry defined their features. Without saying a word, she got up and silently headed for the door. Senna and Yasuo's eyes followed her in silence until she was out of view.

Qiyana headed to the upper floor and turned to the guests room. But when she checked through the wide open door, it was all dark. They weren't inside. Where had they gone?

Through the corner of her eye, she caught the glimpse of a light shining at the end of the hallway. It was coming from Ekko's room...

Qiyana blinked in surprise and slowly walked over. She peeked through the half open door and saw the couple sitting on the edge of Ekko's bed. Inna was holding a framed picture of them and their son. Her tears were slowly wetting the glass as they fell down. Wyeth was hugging her close and his eyes were shiny as if he were also about to cry. He suddenly took notice of the girl's presence and signaled her to approach them. After a small hesitation, she stepped inside the room.

"I didn't mean to be nosy. But I saw you were crying and I got worried. I wanted to check on you." Qiyana explained herself.

Even amongst her tears, Inna gave her a small smile. "Thank you my dear."

At that moment, Senna and Yasuo appeared at the door. "Please come in. It's all right." Said Wyeth. And so they did.

"I'm sorry we worried you." Inna said as she wiped her tears. "It's just that... We have to go back home tomorrow. And despite our best efforts, we didn't find anything at all..." She looked down at the picture she was holding in her hands. "You didn't find anything. The police didn't find even a trace. Our boy... " Her voice cracked and she closed her eyes tightly as more tears began falling down. " It's hopeless..."

Wyeth pulled her a bit closer. Qiyana felt tears of her own threatening to fall down. Wanting to show some support, she sat down on the bed next to the crying mother and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry." She wished she could find the right words. But there was nothing else she could say.

Senna and Yasuo remained in silence, just watching with sadness in their eyes. The pain of these parents... They couldn't even imagine what they were going through. After Ekko's disappearence, it must have been so unbelievably hard for Akali to give them such shocking news...

Speaking of Akali. Where was she? They hadn't seen her all day.

And then suddenly, Yasuo's phone began ringing in his pocket. Surprised, he picked it up and looked at the screen to check who was calling him so late at night. Speaking of the devil...

"It's Akali." He announced to the other occupants in the room. Qiyana, who was the only one who knew what Akali was up to, tensed in her seat. With her attentive eyes on him, Yasuo accepted the call and took the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

At first, there was no response. But eventually, Akali found the words. "Yasuo... Hello..."

The man frowned. Her voice sounded brittle, tired, weak, as if all the energy had been sucked out of her. "Akali? Are you OK?"

"I... No. I don't even know..." She answered.

Something had happened. This wasn't the cheerful, confident Akali he knew. She sounded uncertain, lost, confused and above all, exhausted. It felt like the floor had disappeared from beneath her feet.

"Akali you're making me worried. Where are you? What happened?" He noticed Senna was giving him a very concerned look.

"Yasuo, they..." Akali tried speaking once again. "Ekko. They found him. They found Ekko..."

Yasuo's eyes widened like full moons. "Ekko was found!?" All the eyes inside the room turned to him in shock. Senna, in a reflex, covered her mouth with her hand. The crying couple jolted in their seats. Qiyana got up very quickly and just stared at him, dumbfounded.

"Akali? Is he OK? Please answer." Yasuo pleaded, becoming increasingly anxious with her keeping so quiet.

He didn't get a reply for what seemed like forever. In this long, uncomfortable silence, Yasuo could swear he heard his own heartbeats echoing inside his head. The seconds stretched out infinitely and it was as if years had passed when the girl finally spoke. "Ekko... Ekko is alive."

"He's alive?" The man repeated as a small smile began forming on his lips. He turned to the others and looked each of them in the eyes as he announced. "Ekko is alive."

The poor couple who had been turned to stone with such mind blowing news, slowly started to unfreeze. "Our boy was found. Our boy is alive! Thank the heavens!" Inna said, as tears, this time of joy, began falling down her face like a waterfall. Wyeth was out of words. He simply hugged his wife tightly as his eyes also filled with tears. Senna took a step back with the surprise. She removed her hand from her mouth and placed it over her chest, revealing a wide smile that showed her pristine white teeth. Qiyana's face was bursting with emotion. Her eyes were shining like stars in the night sky and her lips parted to whisper a loving "Ekko...".

But despite these good news, something was bothering Yasuo. He dropped the small smile and fearfully commented. "Akali? You don't sound very happy..."

More silence on the other side. But this time it wasn't as long. "Yasuo, he..." Akali sounded like she was about to cry. It made the man's heart feel very tight. "Ekko is hurt. He's horribly hurt..."

His eyes widened. "He's... He's hurt? What happened? Who hurt him?" He was dying for more details on his friend's situation.

"He's... They hurt him, Yasuo. They hurt him badly. They... They..."

Akali broke down in tears. She had tried so hard to hold it in. She had tried so hard to be brave and strong for her friend. But even she had her limits.

"Ekko... was raped..." She finally delivered.

Yasuo turned white as a sheet of paper.

"Ekko was... What?"

It... It couldn't be...

"They're pedophiles, Yasuo." She could barely speak. The sobs shook her entire body. "Ekko can't defend himself. He's just a kid... And they took advantage of him. Those fucking animals..."

The man's heart was beating hard and fast inside his chest. This had to be a nightmare. It just couldn't be real.

Horrified by her friend's blank expression, Senna approached him. "Yasuo? What happened? What is she saying?"

But the man didn't even acknowledge her. In his eyes there was shock, sadness, terror, confusion... He didn't know how to process what he had been told.

"They took him to the hospital." Akali explained amidst her tears. "I'll go meet him there soon. Please come too. I don't want to be alone right now..."

Yasuo opened his mouth to reply, but at first, no sound came out of it. He cleared his throat and then said in a voice completely devoid of emotion. "Of course, Akali. Of course.... We'll be there."

"Ok... Thank you. S-see you later..." Akali's voice was little more than a whisper. And then the call ended.

The silence inside the room was deafening. All the eyes were on Yasuo who simply let his arm fall down to the side of his body. He aggressively gripped the phone in his hand as if it were his lifeline. It was like the entire world was weighing on his shoulders. He now knew how Akali must have felt when she was told.

Angry. Miserable. Cold. Empty. Completely drained.

No wonder she could barely speak on the phone...

"Yasuo...?" Senna tried to reach him.

A long moment passed. Yasuo slowly gathered up the courage to look his friends and Ekko's family in the eyes. But his mouth still didn't open.

It was as if his lips had been sewn together...


End file.
